Where Love Is
by sparkly red ribbon
Summary: AU. Mai Kujaku thinks it's beneath her to love the goldenhaired, goofy teenager. Can she overcome her hard feelings? Does he even feel the same way? jxm. plz read and review. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hello, everybody. I'm testing this story out. If I get good feedback, I'll continue this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

**Where Love Is**

**Chapter 1**

"You're working at a flower shop?!" Honda asked in hysterics. He nearly fell off his chair clutching his sides.

"Shut up!" Jonouchi hissed quietly. Several of their first period classmates were staring. "It wasn't my choice, ok? It was the only place that was hiring. And you know I really need this second job now that my dad's lost his," Jonouchi scowled, and crossed his arms. He pouted and shook is head, throwing his long, golden bangs to the side. They were always hanging in front of his eyes.

"Still," Honda tired of laughing and only smiled, "A flower shop? Don't tell anybody at school about it," he held his hand over his mouth and sniggered quietly.

"Shut up! Don't you tell anyone either."

"Don't tell anyone what?" Miho asked. Her long lavender hair, up in a high ponytail, hung over her shoulder as she smiled innocently at the two. Tristan turned bright red.

"Oh nothing! It's just something really embarrassing about Jonouchi," he gave Jonouchi a smirk, "But anyway how are you, Miho?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thank you."

Jonouchi frowned. _Thanks, Honda. That's what friendship is all about. _

:j:m:

Jonouchi looked up at a large blue sign. _Nosaka's Flower Shop!_ He opened the door below it slowly and hesitantly. Lots of beautiful flowers, at least ten bundles of every color caught his gaze. He was amazed by its beauty. He was interrupted when a tall, dark haired lady walked up to him from around a corner.

"Welcome to Nosaka's Flower Shop! My name is Meilin Nosaka, nice to meet you! You must be Jonouchi," he nodded. "I'm your new boss."

"Hey," he replied. He was very unsure whether he was going to like working here or not. It was typically a girl's job, but he really needed the money. At least he had a nice boss.

"Let me show you around. Then I have some delivery jobs for you. I don't want to give you a lot of jobs on your day, but we've got a lot of deliveries ordered today so we'll need all the help we can get." She smiled at him. He couldn't help but smile back, even though he was somewhat angry at her for hiring him.

:j:m:

Later that day

Mai Kujaku stormed down the hall way towards her office. The furious clunking of her high-heels gave a warning sign to the rest of the workers in their cubicles. One unlucky man was forced to face her.

"Boss, here are the papers you asked for yesterday!" the man timidly held out a beige folder full of papers in front of her. She halted in front of him.

"What was that last word?"

"I, uh, 'yesterday'?"

"Exactly. I needed these papers yesterday! Why did it take you so long to give these to me?"

"I…well, I had to do a little research, and it took me a while to find all the information, and…that's it." He said. Mai did not look happy.

She grabbed the papers from him roughly. "Next time, don't be so slow. I know you go home from work early, so if you have a job that you can't finish I expect you to stay here late until it's finished."

"But boss, I have a wife and kids. I leave early so I can spend time-"

"Tell it to somebody who cares." Mai walked past him and into her office. She tossed the folder onto her desk and sat down in front of her computer. She had a lot of work to do. Being the editor of one the most popular magazines on the stands right now was a lot of work, and a lot of pressure.

She took a deep breath. Relax…She pushed her long blonde hair behind her back and opened up a few documents. She picked up the folder and started to sort through it. She looked at the clock. It was 5:30.

There was a knock at the door. Someone bothering her again? She hated being interrupted when she was trying to work.

She opened the door to reveal a sight that would change her life forever.

"Are you Mai Kujaku?" a handsome, golden haired boy asked her.

She stared at him a moment before she could form words in her mouth.

"Y-Yes," she answered. The boy's chocolate eyes lit up at her and he smiled. His tinted cheeks shined in the light. He was sweating from carrying his heavy load…which was a vase full of flowers?

"These are for you. May a place them inside for you? It's kind of heavy."

"Yes," Mai stepped aside and let him in. He moved a couple papers to make room for the vase. He took a long look around her office, and down to her desk. It was covered with papers and books.

"Do you really have to deal with all of these papers and books?"

"Yes." She tried smiling back at him. She wasn't sure if her smile was ok. She'd never tried smiling at a boy before. But this one…was so handsome. He just had a presence about him. He smiled at her. Butterflies flew across her stomach at that instant.

"Well, see ya later!" the boy walked out the door.

As suddenly as he had walked into her life, he walked out of it. She turned her attention to the vase and opened up the card stuck to its side.

_Roses are red,  
__Violets are blue,  
__There is no woman on this earth  
__as beautiful as you._

_From, your secret admirer._

_Courtesy of Nosaka Flower Shop._

Very Charming, she thought. She placed the vase on the far corner of her room and tossed the card on her desk, letting it loose in a pile of papers, never to return.

* * *

AN: And that's chapter 1. Like I said, if I get some good feedback- aka good reviews- I'll continue this. Otherwise, it goes straight to the recycle bin. Please review!! 


	2. Chapter 2

AN: So here's chapter 2. I will try my best to make these new chapters better quality. I'm sorry some of you hated that Tristan was such a jerk! He was punished. Thankyou for the review everybody.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

**Chapter 2**

After a long, tiring, day of work, Mai finally opened the door to her apartment, which was dark and quiet. The silence calmed her, compared to the hustling and bustling of the office she had to experience all day.

She turned some lights on, tossed her keys and bags aside onto her kitchen counter, and plopped lazily onto her red, comfortable couch. She lay there with heavy eyes; her body was sprawled out awkwardly and uncomfortably, but she was unable to move herself.

She thought about her day. It was just like every other day…she got up, took a shower, blow dried her hair, applied her make up first thing in the morning. She took the lousy bus ride to work, where all of the sleazy old men stared shamelessly at her. It made her so self conscious. Then at work she dealt with the lazy workers, who only pretended to work, and then came up with lame excuses as to why their work wasn't done. Then she reported to her disgusting boss, the owner of Spirit Magazine (the magazine company she works for). Mr. Oshiro always flirted with her and was always asking her out, even though he was "happily married". Then that boy came and gave her flowers. It was that golden haired boy with the beautiful eyes…

A smile crossed her lips. Today wasn't like every other day. Not only had she gotten some flowers, but they were given to her from the most handsome boy she had ever met. She sighed, she was sad that the flowers weren't from him. She hoped that she would see him again, so maybe next time she could ask his name.

She fell asleep on the couch with the boy's face hovering in front of her eyes, and that same smile still etched across her face.

:j:m:

Jonouchi walked to school the next cold, brisk morning with an extra swing to his step. He hummed happily to himself and bounced a tennis ball he'd been given by a dog walking next to him. One of his neighbor's dogs decided to follow him to school this morning. Since he only lived two streets away from the school, it wasn't a big deal. He rather enjoyed the company. He loved the black Labrador; he thought it was so cute and lovable. The dog trotted along with him happily, waiting for him to throw the ball.

"Fido, I met the most beautiful woman yesterday! You shoulda' seen her…" the dog looked at him expectantly, not taking in a word he said. The dog was just waiting for the ball. "She was just so hot! And she's definitely smart too, she had papers and books everywhere, and they're not just for decoration. It's too bad I forgot her name already…" the dog was starting to drool. Jonouchi looked at the dog pitifully. "Whatever. Here you go, Fido!" he threw the ball a hundred feet ahead. He watched the dog sprint ahead of him. The Labrador looked almost as happy as he was at that moment.

"So how was your first day, Jonouchi?" Honda asked as Jonouchi sat down next to him in their first period classroom.

"It was…" Jonouchi hadn't really thought about it yet. Did he like his job? The image of the tall blonde, surrounded by papers and books, had been all he'd thought about since he'd seen her the evening before. The job that had brought them together had been forgotten until now. "It was great!" he said with the blonde in mind.

But would he ever see her again? Without her, his job would be considerably less enjoyable. He hoped that secret admirer of hers really liked her…but did he really? He wanted to see her again, but he didn't want to bring her and someone else together. She was out of his league anyway, he thought. He might as well make her happy. If he'll ever see her again, that is.

"Really?" Honda looked shocked, but then his gaping mouth turned into a sly smile. "Is it because there are cute girls working there?"

"Well…" Jonouchi blushed, and explained the situation to his friend.

:j:m:

Mai sat in her Mr. Oshiro's office chair listening to him drone on and on about the latest issue of Spirit Magazine. She looked into his eyes, but her attention was far elsewhere. She wanted to be anywhere else right then, preferably eating lunch. She looked at the clock too see that it was 1:30. She'd been in there an hour already. When was he going to stop talking? Everything he was saying she already knew, and she was quite tired of hearing it. Her boss had the unfortunate habit of repeating himself. She sighed and looked out the window into the busy Domino streets.

"-so for our next month's issue, we'll have a huge romance section. Valentine's Day is coming up in a couple of weeks…" Mr. Oshiro paused. "Mrs. Kujaku?" Mai snapped back to reality.

"Sorry, Mr. Oshiro," she said hastily. He smiled at her sympathetically. She was almost about to smile back at him when his gaze cast downward. He was looking at her breasts for the thousandth time. She scowled at him while crossing her arms.

"It's alright Mrs. Kujaku. I realize we've been talking for a while now. So I heard you got flowers yesterday?"

"Yes, I did. They were very lovely, and I received them from the most charming boy," Mai couldn't hold back a smile and possibly a blush.

"Very charming, eh?" Mr. Oshiro laughed heartily, looking at her tinted cheeks. "Don't tell me you're going around crushing on _sixteen-year-olds_ now, Mrs. Kujaku," he joked. However, Mai did not find it funny. She was rather embarrassed. He was only sixteen years old? Her stomach sank. She knew he was younger, but only sixteen?

"How do you know the boy is sixteen?"

"Oh, aside from working at the flower shop now, he works at one of the local supermarkets too. Very nice boy, he is. His name's Katsuya Jonouchi."

Mai's heart sank even more now. These facts came crashing down on her like bricks. Her day dreaming and fantasizing suddenly seemed silly. Not only would she probably never see him again, but even if she did, they could never be together. Why would she want to be with him anyway? He was just a kid…but he was a very cute kid.

"Mrs. Kujaku?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to go out to lunch?"

"Oh, um…no, no thankyou Mr. Oshiro. I'll be getting lunch by myself today."

"Oh, alright," Mr. Oshiro said. An awkward silence followed. Mai stood up to leave. He nodded, and she grabbed her folders and walked abruptly out the door.

Mai sat in her office with a large, untouched salad in front of her. She could not eat with that sick feeling resting in her stomach. She was so disappointed that her crush was only sixteen. Now it was impossible for them to even think of being together. Why did she even care anyway? She'd only met him yesterday. But still…he seemed to have taken over her mind in that short amount of time. He just had that shiny, golden hair, those eyes, that kind, happy smile of his, that laid back walk…she buried her face in her hands, groaning. She tried to forget about him, just for a while.

* * *

AN: Hope everybody liked that chapter...in a sort of depressing way. Please review! I need to know how I did. 


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Heya everybody. I updated in two days again! Thanks for the reviews guys!! I put extra time into this chapter, so plz enjoy it. Arigato.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

**Chapter 3**

A couple of days later, Jonouchi walked into Nosaka's Flower Shop for his second day of work. He only worked there three days a week because of his other job at the supermarket. Both jobs combined, he worked a full days six days a week. Money was tight in the family now, especially with no income coming from his dad.

He walked in hopeful for more flower delivery jobs, but instead was greeted with a pleasant surprise. His classmate Miho was standing behind the cash register in place of Meilin, his boss.

"I didn't know you worked here!" he said smiling.

"You work here too?! Well, I don't really. My mom owns the place, so sometimes I cover for her if she's busy."

Jonouchi smirked to himself. He knew how much Honda liked Miho. So if Miho worked here, Honda couldn't make fun of him anymore.

"Are there any flower deliveries today?"

"Umm…only one, but someone else has already got it taken care of already."

"Who was it for? Do you know?" he was anxious to hear anything about the blonde.

"Yes, it was for the tenth grade math teacher, Mrs. Takahashi! Isn't that cute?"

"Yes," Jonouchi said half-heartedly. So it wasn't the blonde.

As he cleaned and organized, the hours passed by and no orders for deliveries were made. He watched every customer hopefully, but was disappointed every time. Eventually he just gave up.

The next couple of days at the flower shop were just as unlucky. A few orders came in, but none fit the description of the blonde. All of a sudden, two weeks had passed by, and hadn't been any orders for the blonde. He'd even asked Meilin about the days he wasn't there. After two whole weeks, he still hadn't forgotten her. He was embarrassed, but still determined to see her again. She was way out of his league, and probably already married, but he just had to see her again. He was thinking about the different things he could say to her. Maybe they could become friends, and if he was lucky, something more. That was just his way of things. You can never have something if you don't try for it.

One Monday afternoon he asked Meilin if there were any deliveries for a woman who works for a magazine company for about the twentieth time. Meilin looked at him pitifully.

"If you really want to see the woman again, why don't you buy her some flowers yourself and deliver them to her."

A smile crept up on Jonouchi's face. He still remembered the way…but what was her name?! His heart sank.

"Here, I'll give you the name and address. I have everything on my computer. Just double check it to make sure it sounds right," Meilin said. She walked over to her desk, leaned over her chair, and placed a hand on the mouse. He heard a few clicks from the mouse. Jonouchi's spirits lifted. He was finally going to get to see her again!

"Mai Kujaku. 3452 Eleanor Rd. 3rd floor, editor in chief of Spirit Magazine…she was delivered a vase of carnations… about two weeks ago. Does that sound about right?"

"That sounds perfect! Gosh…Mai! That was her name! I just knew it was something like that..." Jonouchi clapped his hands together. He finally knew her name. He happily pulled about thirty dollars out of his pocket and looked for the nicest vase he could find.

"Don't worry, Jonouchi, it's on me," Meilin smiled.

"Oh no, that's ok, I'll pay."

"No, really. You've been a terrific worker. Just consider it an early birthday present." They smiled at each other like they always did.

:j:m:

"Look, Mrs. Kato, I want that article done by tomorrow at the latest! I have already given you three extra days, and that still isn't enough!"

"But my daughter had a piano recital-"

"That's no excuse! If you were planning to leave early yesterday, you should have thought about that the day before and gotten your work done then! You have had more than enough time, now stop complaining and just get that ariticle done!

"Mrs. Kujaku-"

"Just stop!" Mai turned and stomped away and into her office. She let herself fall into her comfy leather chair with a big oomph. She hated being so mean to her workers, but she was just so angry all of the time. She took all of her anger out on them. She knew that she was being too mean, but she just couldn't help herself. She was still upset over the golden-haired boy. It had been a little over two weeks now, and she still hadn't seen him again. She would never see him again, she knew, yet it still bothered her. She was upset because she hadn't seen him, but she was even more upset because she wanted to see him again. She was angry that she thought of the boy every day and night. She just couldn't forget about him. Half the time she just wanted to hit her head on something and hoped to get amnesia. That would solve her problem.

She sighed and concentrated with all her might on her work tasks ahead.

A little over an hour later, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" she said angrily and annoyed. She was afraid it would be Mrs. Kato again, or even worse, Mr. Oshiro.

"Is this Mai Kujaku's office?" a muffled voice said through the door.

"Yes, now what do you want?" she said, hoping to get rid of whoever it was quick. She was busy, and she hated being interrupted.

"I have a flower delivery for you."

Mai blinked, unsure of what the voice just said. A flower delivery? It couldn't be…

She jumped up. Her chair was pushed feet behind her as she ran to the door. Butterflies ran up her stomach as she hurriedly opened the door, awaiting her beloved golden-haired boy.

And there he was, in all his glory. He stood there as handsome as ever. His chocolate eyes beamed at her. He wore his casual t-shirt and jeans, and best of all, his kind-hearted smile. Her insides melted at the sight of him.

"Hi…" she managed to say. She was too flushed to say anything more.

"Umm…hello," the boy said.

"Come in!" she opened the door all the way and busied herself organizing some papers on her desk.

Jonouchi walked inside excitedly. He found her! He was finally seeing her again! And if he wasn't imagining things, she actually seemed happy to see him. He must be imagining things, he thought. He figured that she probably didn't even remember him. She was probably only smiling because she's receiving flowers.

Her office was even more crowded with papers and books than ever. It was a complete mess. She was trying to make room for the vase by clearing off her desk, but she was having quite a hard time. Jonouchi blushed watching her struggle and curse angrily under her breath. He smiled, wondering how she would react when she found out the flowers were from him, and not a secret admirer.

"Alright! Just set them here!" She pointed to a small, but cleared off space on her desk. The vase barely fit into the space, but it would manage. He turned towards her and searched nervously for something to say, but she spoke first.

"My boss tells me your name is Katsuya Jonouchi."

"Yep! Who's your boss?"

"Zenji Oshiro," she said. Jonouchi tried not to frown.

"Oh, yeah, I know him. He shops at the Domino Super Market…He's a nice guy…" Jonouchi tried to say happily, but he couldn't quite do it. He actually felt the opposite. He hated Mr. Oshiro. Mr. Oshiro had taken a liking to Jonouchi; he told him he was like the son he never had. He told Jonouchi lots about himself when he was carrying the man's groceries out to his car, even though Jonouchi never wanted to hear about it. He always talked about woman he was dating or interested in, even though he was married. His wife would sometimes come shopping with him, and every time she did Jonouchi would always feel so sorry for her. She was such a nice person and deserved better. He also was a racist and always looked down on poor people. That last part especially made him mad, since he definitely fit into the last category.

Mai gave him a suspicious look.

"Ha! 'Nice guy'. Don't make me laugh! I can tell you don't believe that from a mile away," she smirked at him. She was smarter than she looked, he thought. "Mr. Oshiro is a jerk and a womanizer. The only reason he gets any respect is because he's so damn smart. He gets things done around here."

Jonouchi smiled at her. She smirked at him still and sat down at her desk.

Half of Mai wanted him to leave, and half of her wanted him to stay. If he stayed, she would only develop more feelings for this boy she barely even knew. Perhaps she could get to know him…but then she would start to love him! 'What's wrong with that?' she asked herself. 'He's sixteen! That's what's wrong. I can't love this boy…'

Jonouchi turned and started for the door.

"I…I guess I'll be seeing you," he said, and started to turn the door handle. Mai stretched her arm out towards him, wanting him to stay. But then she didn't want him to stay…she did and she didn't. She knew right then that it was now or never…

"Wait!" she yelled, even though he was still relatively close. He spun around and smiled. "Stay here," Mai said.

He grinned, showing his teeth. His cheeks glowed red.

"Really? Alright." he went and sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. There was a quiet moment between them. Jonouchi searched for words to start a conversation. "So, Mrs. Kujaku-"

"Just call me Mai."

"Alright, Mai…you're the editor here, right?"

"That's correct."

"Gosh…that's a big job!" he exclaimed. He was amazed that she had such an important job. "How many hours a day do you have to work?"

"Until I get the job done, Jonouchi. It's not about how long I work; it's about how much gets done around here."

"You must make a lot of money though!" he said. Mai sighed.

"You'd be surprised how much living on your own costs. All in all, I don't really have that much spending money."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Since my dad's not working right now, I'm paying all the bills around here. I'm barely making ends meet at my place."

Mai was surprised that he said this. A sixteen year old? Paying all of the bills?

"But…that's so much responsibility for a sixteen year old like you." She said. Jonouchi looked up at her with a confused look on his face.

"Does it really matter how old I am? Just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't handle responsibilities."

"Yes…sorry. Some of the workers around here…" she laughed, "they're twice your age, and they couldn't handle those kinds of responsibilities to save their lives."

Jonouchi smiled at her. She smiled back and tilted her head. Her long blonde hair fell onto her shoulder. She twirled a small piece around her long, neatly manicured, finger and stared at him sweetly. She had a habit of doing that, Jonouchi noticed, and he thought it was cute.

"So, Jonouchi, I'm guessing you're a junior at Domino High?"

"Yep. And how old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

Wow! What an age difference, Jonouchi thought. She was way out of his league. But then again, if she didn't like him, she wouldn't have invited him to stay and talk. Maybe, just maybe, there was the slightest chance that she was the tiniest bit interested in him…? He would just have to hope. He looked at the clock: it was 4:30. He'd spent almost twenty minutes in here!

"I need to get going. I have to get back to work," he said.

"Oh, well…if there are any more flowers for me, be sure to be the one that delivers them." She said hopefully. He smiled back at her confidently.

"Definitely. See you later, Mai." He said and walked out the door. She waved at him sadly. She didn't want him to leave. She was also worried whether she made a good impression or not. Though the boy was sixteen, he was definitely mature like an adult. But even if he wasn't, she wasn't sure whether she would've been able to help herself. With the affect that boy had on her, it was hard for Mai to keep her cool.

She'd forgotten to open up the card stuck to the vase. It was probably from her secret admirer again. She wondered who that was, anyway. She grabbed the letter and opened it uninterestedly.

_Roses are red,  
__Violets are blue,  
__It's been two weeks since we met  
__but I still think about you._

_Jonouchi_

Her eyes widened upon reading the name. She laughed and blushed, holding the card against her heart.

* * *

AN: OK, that's chapter 3. Hope you liked it. Plz review, cause I like to know how I did, and how everybody's liking the story so far. Review!! Arigato (smiles). 


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Omg! Even longer chapter. It's over three thousand words. Thankyou for the review, ppl.

Before you read, Serenity is in this chapter. Her Japanese name is Shizuka. I'm just telling you this because I didn't know myself until I looked it up.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

**Chapter 4**

Mai lay under her covers that night unable to sleep. She finally, she _actually_ saw the boy again. Here she thought it was silly to even dream of it. He was so handsome, and he was so kind, and cute, and funny, and mature…he seemed so perfect. But he was only sixteen. Mai sighed. Could they ever have a relationship? What was she thinking? They'd only seen each other twice, and he probably didn't even think twice of her that way…but those flowers! They were from him! That was so sweet of him, and so cute. She blushed at the thought of it, but it was so confusing for Mai. Did he like her? Was that his way of telling her he had feelings for her? But how could he have the same feelings for her as she did for him? Had he been thinking of her the whole time too? That is what the card said. Mai was extremely confused about her feelings for him and his possible feelings for her.

Perhaps he did have a crush on her. Did she like him back? Of course! She'd been thinking about him ever since she met him. Could she ever tell him? That was beneath her pride. She couldn't date a little kid. That was beneath her. But she remembered that when he gave her that warm smile, she didn't think like that. All she knew was that she wanted more of him. She fell asleep with that thought in mind.

She woke up peacefully that Saturday morning. Sun crept inside from behind her window curtains. She looked at the clock and saw that it was ten-thirty. She'd slept in because she fell asleep so late last night. Damn that boy, she thought. She sat up burying her face in her hands.

"Oh my god! I'm going crazy!" she murmured into her hands. "I can't keep thinking about him like this…he's just a little boy, nothing could ever happen between us…I shouldn't be thinking of him…I'm better than this!" she sighed again. It depressed her. She needed to forget him.

As she was sulking, the phone rang. She groggily got up out of bed to answer it.

"Hello?" Mai answered.

"Mai?" a male voice spoke. It was Mr. Oshiro. Her stomach turned sour. Not this again…

"Yes, Mr. Oshiro?" she made sure to say with attitude. Maybe he would get the hint this time that she did not want to talk to him outside of work.

"Yes, hello. I was…I was wondering whether you would like to go out to lunch today, and maybe go shopping afterwards. Just to hang out, me and you…?" he ended. Mai sighed. She knew it. He was trying to ask her out for the millionth time. You think he would get the hint after the tenth time, but no.

"No thank you, Mr. Oshiro. I have errands to do, today."

"Maybe I can accompany you," he replied hopeful.

"No thank you, Mr. Oshiro. I would prefer to go alone," she said. Mr. Orshiro laughed gently on the other side.

"Are you really going alone?" he said disbelievingly.

"Yes…why?"

"Because…" he began teasingly, "I think you're going on a date with that boy Jonouchi," he said. That last statement shocked Mai.

"What?!"

"Don't pretend it didn't happen. I know he gave you flowers yesterday."

"Oh…yes, he did. But that's not where I'm going today."

"Ok, good. I was just beginning to worry about you. You wouldn't want to involve yourself with a kid like that."

"Oh? Why not?" Mai was very appalled by his last statement.

"Oh-ho! You seem angry! Perhaps you two were thinking about a date…"

"No, we are not! But if…but if I was, what would be the big deal? He's a nice boy," she didn't know whether she was asking Mr. Oshiro or asking herself.

"Well first of all, he's a teenager. And second, a woman like you? You deserve nothing but the best! You need a guy with a real job. That kid'll be packing groceries and delivering flowers his whole life."

"And what makes you say that?!" That last insult towards the kid was pushing Mai to her limit. She was getting very annoyed.

"The kid's poor as hell. Kid's like that never go to school, they'll never get anywhere in life."

"Hmph. And I had the impression you two were friends," Mai knew better than to argue the point. As much as she disagreed with him, she knew his opinion would never change.

"Oh, we are! I never said I didn't like the kid. But anyway, I'll see you Monday, Mai," he said.

"Good bye, Mr. Oshiro."

"Bye," Mr. Oshiro hung up. Good riddance, she thought. She knew for a fact that Mr. Oshiro was wrong. She had grown up in a poor household. Her parents did everything they could to push her through school. It was hard, and money was low, but she did it. Now she had a good education and a good job.

Mai sat in her kitchen eating breakfast. She supposed she really did have some errands to do.

:j:m:

Mai walked along the sidewalk looking for her favorite clothing store. She needed a nice gown for a big event coming up in a couple weeks at her workplace. Spirit Magazine was going to celebrate its tenth anniversary in the beginning of March, and as editor in chief, she definitely had to be there. It was going to be a huge party, with a slew of big-wigs and celebrities promised to be there. Of course, she needed a new, fabulous dress, which she didn't mind at all shopping for. On the downside, most people brought a date date or their spouse to these types of events. She had neither.

Finally, she reached the store, _Yoshida's Fine Dresses_. She loved this store. It was one of the only stores that carried dresses that would fit her D-sized breasts. In most stores her breasts would be spilling out of the dresses.

She walked in and eagerly started scanning the walls for possible choices. She picked up a few and walked over to the dressing room and saw a young, brown haired girl trying on dresses. There was only one dressing room, so she was forced to wait. She sat on the nearest bench and watched her pleasantly.

"Seto, what do you think of this one. Do you think it flatters me?" the girl addressed a tall, serious looking brunette sitting on the bench opposite of Mai. She had seen his face before, but she couldn't remember where for a minute.

Of course! He was none other than Seto Kaiba, the owner of the famous Kaiba Co. She was somewhat excited to see a famous person. He almost qualified as a celebrity. Several articles had been done on him before in Spirit Magazine. He also gave a heavy donation to Spirit Magazine in the past. She wondered whether he would be at the tenth anniversary event she was shopping for. Seto Kaiba sighed.

"Of course it looks good! Everything looks good on you," he sounded agitated, which was exactly how he always looked in his pictures and on television.

"Shut up! You're just being nice. I'm just not so sure about this dress…"

"Shizuka, it really does look great-"

"Heya, Shizuka! I got a couple of different dresses for you I thought you might like," another boy walked up to her. It was Jonouchi! She couldn't believe it. Butterflies jolted around in her stomach. She stared at him, but he didn't see her yet.

"Oh thank you, Katsuya," Shizuka took the dresses from him and went into the dressing room. Apparently she didn't take Kaiba's opinion to heart. Jonouchi stood there facing Kaiba with his back to Mai. She desperately wanted to say something, but her nerves kept getting in the way. Nothing was coming out of her mouth. Eventually she managed to his mumble his name audibly.

"J-J-J…Jonouchi!" Jonouchi turned around and Kaiba looked at her strangely. Her stomach lurched violently. Jonouchi's dazed look turned into a bright smile.

"Mai! It's you!" Mai blushed unwillingly at him, but was determined to keep her cool.

"Hello Jonouchi," she said as coolly as she could manage. She didn't want to sound like a teenager, after all. Jonouchi, however, looked excited as hell. His cheeks were flushed, and he looked almost giddy.

"It's so nice to see you again! That's twice in two days, now…so what are you doing here?"

"I'm trying on dresses for an event I'm attending in a couple of weeks," she said. Jonouchi kept blushing and fidgeted nervously before her. He tapped his foot and pushed his hands into his pockets, leaning on one leg. His toothy smile never wavered. He looked so happy it was making Mai blush again.

"A…a dress?!..." he paused.

"Yes…"

"Can I see you in it?!" he asked excitedly, and obviously hopefully. Mai blushed harder this time.

"I…I guess…" she said unsurely. She wasn't sure what to say to that. She knew he would be looking at her body and checking her out, which made her self conscious, especially because she cared what he thought of her. She hoped she looked damn sexy in the dresses she was about to try on.

"Really? Cool! I can't wait…" he said with a devilsh grin. He's a pervert, Mai thought. Just like a teenager, always acting silly around women. But the way he acted towards her was better than the way most men her age acted around her, always serious and arrogant. All of the men who flirted with her before were so arrogant, and they only tried to win her with money, nice clothes, a big house, and a flashy car. She was never impressed by any of that stuff. What she really wanted was a man who was humble and kind to everyone, and none of those men ever met up to those standards. None of those men even had personalities. They were so boring. Jonouchi, on the other hand, was kind, grateful, and he definitely seemed humble. She wondered wha this sense of humor was like. A sense of humor was important to her in men. She would just have to get to know him more, she thought. A little smile crept onto her face.

"So what kind of event are you going to?" Jonouchi asked.

"Spirit Magazine, the magazine I work for, is celebrating their tenth anniversary," she said. Kaiba looked over at her.

"Spirit Magazine, you said?" Kaiba asked. Mai nodded. "I'm going to that event too. On the third of March?" he half smiled, something he never did in the pictures she'd seen of him.

"Yep, that's the one."

"That's what we're here for. Shizuka is my date, and I'm buying her a dress-"

"_I'm_ buying it for her!" Jonouchi interjected.

"For the last time, Jonouchi, I'll pay for it. I have-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. You have lots of money and I have none. It's not about how much money I have. I love my sister and I want to do something nice for her. It's an early birthday present, alright? Just let me buy it for her."

"Alright," Kaiba frowned, but Mai smiled. She thought the fact that he loved his sister so much was extremely adorable.

Shizuka popped out of the dressing room and struck a pose.

"This is definitely the dress I want! Do you guys like it?" All three of them looked at her. She was wearing a pastel, peach colored, strapless dress. Kaiba and Jonouchi looked at her evilly.

"No. It looks terrible," they both said simultaneously. "Put it back." Jonouchi laughed and Kaiba merely smiled at the appalled look on her face.

"Shut up! I'm getting it and that's final!" Shizuka stomped back into the dressing room and shut the door. Mai forgot how silly teenagers could be. She couldn't help but laugh herself.

Within a few minutes Shizuka came out of the dressing room with her normal clothes on. Butterflies arose in Mai's stomach. Now it was time to try the dresses on herself, and Jonouchi would get to see. She hid her blush by walking quickly into the room.

"Don't forget to come and show us when you're done!" Jonouchi called after her.

As Mai pulled off her clothes and slipped the first of the three dresses on she could hear the three of them talking quietly on the bench.

"So how do you know that lady, Katsuya?" Serenity asked.

"Oh, uh…we're friends," Jonouchi answered.

"How'd you guys meet?"

"I met her on my new job at the flower shop. Somebody ordered her some flowers and I delivered them to her.

There was a pause.

"And you guys are suddenly best friends now, hm?" Shizuka said very teasingly.

"Well, I..." Jonouchi sounded flustered. Mai wondered whether or not they realized that she could clearly hear them. At that same moment the voices quieted down to barely audible, but still audible volume. "I've delivered flowers to her twice now. She has a secret admirer, see. And…she's really neat. We've talked once or twice."

"Ooh, I get it! You have a crush on her-"

"Shizuka don't!" Jonouchi hissed at her. Mai would've loved to hear his answer to that. What he said didn't really give a hint either way.

She looked into the mirror at the first dress she tried on. She definitely liked this one. She had tried her favorite one on first. It was a skin tight, halter top, black dress with bright purple lining on the bottom of part of the dress that touched just above her knees. It was cute and sexy. With some jewelry and some black high heels, she'd be good to go. She hoped Jonouchi would like this…

She stepped out rather nervously. Normally, she knew she looked good at all times, but that was when she didn't secretly care what she looked like anyway. Now that she had an innocent boy to impress, she would have to step it up. Ok maybe he wasn't so innocent, she could guess, but she would definitely show up all of the girls at his school that had ever taken an interest in him. She would blow away the competition.

With a burst of new motivation, she placed her hands on her hips and struck a pose, just like Shizuka did. Except this time Jonouchi didn't have anything smart to say. He stood there open mouthed, blushing immensely.

"Wow! You look great!" Jonouchi looked so in love it embarrassed Mai. He stood up and stood closer to her. He suddenly regained his composure and leaned on one hip, looking confident. He looked her up and down slowly.

"So what do you think?" Mai smirked at him. She knew he liked it.

:j:m:

Jonouchi stood there staring at the sexiest, most beautiful sight he had ever seen. And better yet, that sight was staring back at him, smiling! Smirking! She was giving him a sexy look. He just wanted to grab her and never let her go at that moment. If only he could have told her how badly he wanted to wrap his arms around her slim waist and kiss her pouty lips glossed lips, and run his hands through her luscious, thick, blonde hair. How could she tease him like this? This was complete torture. He would just have to answer her honest.

"I think you look…sexy!" he shouted out. She laughed at him. She looked embarrassed now. She probably didn't expect him to be so honest.

"I think you look beautiful…I never got you name." Shizuka said sweetly. Jonouchi looked at her and Kaiba.

"I never introduced you guys! Ok, Mai, this is my sister Shizuka," Mai waved. "And this is her boyfriend Kaiba," she waved again. "Serenity, Seto, this is Mai," they waved at her in turn.

"Well, Mai, I think the dress looks great," Serenity said.

"The dress doesn't look as good as you do," Jonouchi said. Mai blushed and put a hand behind her head nervously. Jonouchi hoped that wasn't too straightforward. She still could've been married for all he knew. She probably was, or at least with somebody, a woman like that. He also knew that he should probably stop flirting with her. She was way out of his league…but still. That small flicker of hope, and of course that natural flirtatiousness, resided within him.

"Thankyou," she said awkwardly and walked back into the dressing room.

She come out of the dressing room a short minute later and hung the other, untried dresses on a nearby rail. She looked at Jonouchi sweetly.

"So do you got a date to wear that dress with?" he asked, but nearly slapped himself afterwards. Did he seriously just ask that? That was way straightforward.

"Oh, um, no I don't," she said quickly. Seriously? Did that mean she was single? Or maybe he just couldn't make it.

"Oh…yeah, 'cause I was just wondering…because Kaiba and Shizuka…but anyways, where did they go?" he looked around, but they were nowhere to be seen. He had to get himself out of that situation, and fast. She would never want to go to the celebration with him. It was insane to even think that. Where were those two anyway?

He saw Kaiba handing the dress to the saleslady over the cash register.

"Hey! I'm paying for that Kaiba!" he yelled. He chased after them. Jonouchi may have been low on money, but he was not beneath buying his sister a present once in a while. He didn't care how much money Kaiba had.

He forced the eighty dollars into Kaiba's hand and watched him give it to the sales lady with a suspicious eye. Kaiba merely shrugged at him while Shizuka smiled gratefully.

"Thank you so much, Katsuya."

"No problem, sis'."

As Kaiba and Shizukawere walking out the door, Jonouchi hesitated.

"You guys go outside, I want to say goodbye to Mai," he said. Shizuka looked at him giddy.

"You like her! I just know it!"

"Shut up!" he turned his back to her. He really wished she would stop doing that. He sincerely hoped Mai wasn't listening to their conversation when she was trying on her dress. His sister could be so embarrassing sometimes. Ever since she and Kaiba started going out, she's been trying to set him up with every girl he comes into contact with. Couples are like that, they think everybody should be in love. They pity people who are single.

Mai walked away from the cash register with a bag in hand. Jonouchi waited for her near the exit.

"Oh, thanks for waiting! I thought you'd left without saying goodbye!" she smiled at him.

"Nah…" the two walked out of the store together. Kaiba and Shizuka were window shopping at the store next door. They stood there looking at each other in an awkward silence.

"It was nice seeing you today," Mai said.

"Yeah…well," this felt so awkward for Jonouchi. She must've known he had a crush on her, after the flowers he gave her. She must've read the card. "I'll see you around, Mai."

"Bye," she said. She hesitated a moment, and then walked off in the opposite direction of where they were going. He walked over towards Shizuka and Kaiba.

"I'm not the love expert, but I can tell you have something for that woman," Kaiba said. Jonouchi sighed.

"Just admit it, you know you like her!" Shizuka added.

"Yeah ok fine! I do! But do you have to yell it out loud in the store?!" Jonouchi pouted.

"Aww, don't be sad. I think she likes you," she said.

"Nah, I'm just a friend. She would never date a guy like me, even if I was the right age."

"That's for sure," Kaiba said. Of course Kaiba had to rub it in his face. Jonouchi didn't say anything back. He knew Kaiba was right.

"Damn I was just kidding. Have some confidence." Kaiba said with his attempt at a smile. It was more like a smirk. Jonouchi thought about what he said.

"You know what, Kaiba? You're right! Women like men with confidence."

Jonouchi walked home with them with a new confidence. She may have been way out of his league, and she would probably reject him, but damn it, she was worth a try.

* * *

AN: Hooray! It's done. Please review! I like to know if you guys are liking or not liking the story. 

Review!!!!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: After I wrote the last chapter, I read Mai's bio and I found out that her family was actually very rich growing up, and that her family had been cold to her…whoops! It's too late now. Anyway, thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I own Yugioh. It's all MINE! just kidding.

**Warning:** There's yaoi in this chapter. It's not a big part of the story, so if you don't like it than it should be easy to ignore.

**Chapter 5**

Mai sat in her work office dozing off that Monday. She didn't have a lot of work to do today, and Jonouchi kept buzzing through her mind. He thought she was sexy! She knew she was sexy, and she'd heard from tons of men tons of times, but it'd never meant so much to her. She'd never cared or been nervous about what anybody thought of her before. Now she knew that he thought she was hot, but did he really like her? What about her personality? The men she'd dated before never cared about that. All they cared about was her breast size and her pretty face. The slimming outfits she wore didn't hurt either. Did he really like talking to her, or was he just a perverted teenager?

Mai considered a date with the boy. She played different scenarios out in her mind, fantasizing about one thing after the next. If she went on a date with him, what would she say? What could they talk about? She wondered how that would go. She knew Jonouchi was interested in her in that way, that much was obvious. He flirted with her, and the flowers themselves said it clearly, but she was still confused. She didn't know whether he actually liked her they way she liked him. The short amount of time they'd spent together had been different from any time she'd ever spent with anybody in her life before. For once, she was around somebody who was kind, humble, good-natured, and definitely funny. He made her feel so cheerful on the inside.

She doubted whether that whole world was for her. Where people are funny, cherry, happy, silly…she lived in a world of survival of the fittest. People weren't nice to each other. People were only nice to you when they wanted something. The workers around here only talked to her because they wanted to get on her good side, and hopefully get paid more. Men only talked to her because they liked how she looked, and they just wanted to have sex with her. Friends? She didn't have friends. She had a few acquaintances, but no close friends. Friendship was a lie. People only made friends with others for their own gain, not because they genuinely liked somebody. Mai sighed. She longed for somebody who would genuinely like her for who she was- not because of her job, or her looks, or the money she had, or anything. Just for her, and nothing else.

Mai took another deep breath, continuing her pessimistic drabbles on life. Life was so pathetic. She got up off of her chair and stood looking out the large window on the side of her office. She watched the miniscule people of Domino living their lives. If only she could be one of them.

:j:m:

Jonouchi sat between Yugi and Ryou during at the lunch table that early afternoon at Domino Highschool. Jonouchi, not having slept much the night before, lay his head in his arms and basked under the warm sunlight. Today's weather was his favorite kind of weather. He loved the days of spring where it was brisk and chilly, but the sun was out and shining, brightening and warming the air. Thoughts about Mai floated around in his head. None of the girls in his videos could ever compare to her. Not only was she drop dead gorgeous, she had flare. She had spunk, and she had life to her. She was a unique woman, not one like he had ever met before. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to know about her. He wanted to talk to her more, get to know her more, find out all there is to know about her. He didn't want to just find it out; he wanted to hear it all from her. He wanted to tell her all about himself too. She just made him want to live, and want to talk and be happy. She made him excited about life.

The only downside was that she was too old, too beautiful, and too educated to ever actually consider liking him. However, he was determined to keep his confidence. He was going to try. He didn't have much to lose. The only thing he did worry about is whether they could still be friends if she didn't feel the same way about him. Even though it would be hard, if that was what she wanted, he would do it. Being friends with her would be better than nothing at all.

Jonouchi felt a bump on his side. Someone was leaning over him, and all of their weight was on his back…two people were leaning on him! Their elbows were pressing into his back and it hurt. Plus, much to his annoyance, he heard kissing sounds above him.

"Stop it, you guys! I sat between you two for a reason!" Jonouchi growled. He pushed himself up, much to the two boys' dismay.

"Move it, Jonouchi!" Ryou laughed, pushing him playfully.

"Get out of the way!" Yugi pushed too, laughing.

"Poor Jonouchi," Anzu, across from him, said pitifully.

"You guys can't make out at school!" he yelled at them, but gave up and laid his head back into his arms. He was at peace dozing off under the sun, thinking about that beloved, mysterious woman.

"Awww, look at him smiling! Are you thinking about your crush?" Yugi teased. Jonouchi lifted his head.

"Who told you about that?"

"Honda!" Yugi pointed an accusing finger across the table. Jonouchi smiled, he wasn't going to deny it.

"Yes, I was. Now would you quit bothering me?!" he pushed Yugi playfully.

"Ewww, are you having _those _kinds of fantasies about her?" Ryou scrunched up his face, looking grossed out. Jonouchi looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I'm thinking about all the things I'm going to ask her next time I see her," Jonouchi said with a final tone. He lay his head in his arms for the third time and returned happily to his tranquil paradise under the sun.

* * *

AN: Short chapter, I know. No action, just lots and lots feelings. Hope you guys enjoyed it! Plz review! 


	6. Chapter 6 Pt 1

AN: Thankyou for the reviews everybody! Chapters six and seven are more like one chapter split and half. I did this becuase it was so long. If the end of this chapter seems abrubt, that's why.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

**Chapter 6 Pt. 1**

Friday afternoon finally, _finally_ came for Jonouchi that week. Mountainous piles of homework, stupid school drama, and long hours on both his jobs made for an extremely stressful, dull, and drawn out week. He thought about his friends. He loved them to death, but they could be so immature sometimes. Some of them were extremely fickle when it came to love. Both Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura declared their everlasting love for Anzu within the same day. Anzu told both of them that she loved them, but would decide whether she wanted to date them later. The two Yami's confronted each other in a shouting match. Then they confronted Anzu, who declared her love for Otogi, who's loved Shizuka for the past year and a half. There, the love chain ends; consequently, nobody wins.

"Argh! What even is the point of this all?!?!" Jonouchi moaned aloud. All this information was killing his brain. "People are so dumb! And not to mention I have so much homework this weekend. Ugggghhhh!!!" he shouted in agony. It helped him cope with his frustration.

Jonouchi, in his apartment, plopped onto the couch and turned on the TV. There he lay peacefully, trying to relax. He was so tired. Today was his only day off that week. He had to work full days Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Why was this weekend so important at the flower shop again…? He didn't even know, and was much too tired to think. He heard the door suddenly swing open to his side.

"Heya, kid," Jonouchi's father stumbled into the apartment. He sat next to him on the couch and gave him a jolly pat on the shoulder. He reeked of perfume and alcohol. This made Jonouchi angry. He loved his father, he really did, but the stuff his father did made him angry. He wasn't working, and he was spending the money that Jonouchi had earned on alcohol and hotel rooms. It was so annoying. If they hadn't been related, Jonouchi would've kicked him out of his own apartment. He was the one paying the bills, after all. However, family was important.

"Hey dad. How was your day?"

"It was good…" he swayed back and forth, finally leaning on his back on the couch at a strange angle. "I was looking for a job, but then I got a little distracted, see…I felt like getting a drink, and then I met this nice, young woman…you should meet her, really…" he paused.

"That's nice, Dad," Jonouchi got up and went to the other side of the apartment. There was a little section with a bed that he claimed his territory. The smell of his father was giving him a headache.

"We're going on a date on tomorrow, me and Patricia! She's a nice British lady, real interesting…" his father lost his train of thought for a moment. "You going on a date?" he asked. Jonouchi was confused.

"What? Why would I have a date tomorrow?"

"Oh…you doing anything tomorrow? Giving out chocolates? Roses? To some special woman…or man, if you swing that way," his dad finished. Jonouchi dismissed the last part of the comment and tried to figure out why he was asking him this. Was tomorrow a special day? It was Saturday…Feburary…Jonouchi's mouth formed an 'o' shape. Tomorrow was Valentine's Day! How could he have forgotten? No wonder everybody was feeling so romantic this week. How silly…

"No, um…I'm working tomorrow," Now he knew why he was working so many hours tomorrow. He supposed he would be traveling around all day, delivering flowers, chocolates, cards, and whatever else all day. That sounded extremely tiring, but it would all be worth it if he finally got to see Mai again. Maybe her secret admirer (the bastard) would be sending some flowers to her. He would send her some himself, but one- he'd probably be busy, and two- tomorrow was Saturday and he had no idea where she lived. He'd been dying to see her again. He really liked her, but he realized this week that he barely knew anything about her. What were her hobbies? Likes? Dislikes? He wanted to know, and he was planning to strike up a conversation of some sort the next time he saw her. Hopefully they would have time to talk sometime soon since he figured he would be really busy over the weekend. He hadn't seen her since last Saturday!

:j:m:

Mai sat in her office at her desk lazily. She'd finished most of her work for the day, and was ready to go home. There were a few more documents to be looked through…editing to be done…files to organize…she needed to ask Mrs. Vasquez where the hell that article was…it had something to do with Valentine's Day, right?

Oh no. She looked at the calendar and confirmed her worst fear. Tomorrow was Valentine's Day! Oh dear God, how she hated that stupid holiday. So many stupid chocolates, and flowers, and roses…people just trying to get on your good side, they didn't really like you. They were just being flirtatious.

Just as well, she thought. Today was Friday the thirteenth. What a perfect day for Mai Kujaku to find out that it was Valentine's Day tomorrow.

She sighed sadly, but then Jonouchi came to mind. Her eyes widened, and she placed a finger to her lip thinking. She said aloud hesitantly, unsurely:

"What if…what if I spent the day with Jonouchi tomorrow?" Mai smiled slightly at her computer. The bright white glow of the computer was starting to give Mai a headache, and so she laid her head in her hands and closed her eyes. She imagined a day with Jonouchi.

What would they do? How would they meet? They hadn't planned anything. They hadn't talked since the last weekend, which ended rather awkwardly. It had been fun, none the less.

She shouldn't want to see him. He didn't like her the same way she liked him. She didn't even know if they really got along together, they'd never really had much of a conversation before. She desperately wanted to though. She wanted to spend time with him, get to know him, see his smile, hear his laugh…she needed to see him. The times that she'd been with him and the times where he was the only thing on her mind, she wasn't like her usual self. She wasn't worried, she wasn't angry. She felt so lighthearted around him; her spirits were lifted because of him. She felt happy around him.

Mai moaned aloud. 'Why him?' she thought. Why couldn't it have been somebody else? But nobody could replace Jonouchi. He was just so cute and happy; she didn't know what else to think. She wanted to see him so badly.

But how? How could she casually run into him again tomorrow without knowing where he would be? She lifted her head off of her arms and leaned back on her chair. The flowers her secret admirer had sent her were still on her the counter against the wall of her office. The vase was full of dead pink carnations and red roses. The carnations still had an ounce of life and color in them, but the roses were completely dead. They were stiff, brittle, and brown. She didn't understand roses. They were the most popular and one of the most expensive of all the flowers, yet they didn't have a scent and they didn't even last long. They were worthless. Just like the men that sent them to her. She looked at the flowers Jonouchi sent her on her desk. The vase was full of yellow and white chrysanthemums. They were still as alive and vibrant as the day he'd brought them to her. A few other small, miscellaneous pink and purple flowers had been placed as filler, and the leaves were so shiny that when the light beamed on them they almost looked plastic. She smiled. They were pretty flowers; she much preferred them over the ones her secret admirer had given her. The flowers were cute, cheerful, and long lasting. Just like Jonouchi? She had no idea. Maybe it was just wishful thinking…or just too much thinking.

She picked up the card next to her keyboard. It was the card from her secret admirer. The card Jonouchi had written her was in a much more special spot on her nightstand. She red the corny poem again…_there is no woman on this earth/ as beautiful as you…Courtesy of Nosaka's Flowers Shop…_

That was it! That was where Jonouchi would be tomorrow! It just had to be, tomorrow was Valentine's Day. She didn't have an excuse to go over there though…unless she was to tell the truth: that she really wanted to see Jonouchi again, and maybe…

The worst, most terrible, most horrifying idea formed in Mai's mind all of a sudden. She knew what she wanted to do tomorrow. This scary idea made her nerves tremble and her stomach jittery, but she knew deep inside of her heart that it was what she wanted to do. She hated the fact that she wanted to do this so badly; it was so beneath her, but Jonouchi was worth it. She would go to that flower shop and most likely humiliate herself, but she would do it because she knew she would sincerely regret it if she didn't. She was determined, and she wouldn't back down.

:j:m:

Jonouchi walked into _Nosaka's Flower Shop _for the third time that day. He'd been correct; there were quite a few flowers/chocolate deliveries being made that day, but there weren't as many as he had imagined. There was nothing chaotic about the day. He'd only delivered twice, and it was around noon. There hadn't been any deliveries to Mai yet. He'd been checking with Meilin every time the phone rang, and he'd even asked her to hold the delivery and let him do it if it came while he was gone. He would just have to hope that secret admirer would come again. He hadn't sent any more vases to her since that first time. Maybe he gave up, or maybe it was just a one-time thing. As he walked towards the back of the shop, Jonouchi was surprised to see a few of the workers just standing by the cash register talking, including Meilin. Jonouchi looked around. There weren't very many people in the shop anymore. The rush had died down since it was lunchtime, he figured.

"What're you guys up too?" Jonouchi asked them cheerfully. Meilin let out a big sigh.

"Flower shops aren't as popular as they used to be, I guess. Not even on Valentine's Day," Meilin looked downtrodden.

"Don't worry about it, Meilin. We'll have more customers today. Maybe this year was just an unlucky year," he said, but Meilin's face didn't change.

"Ever since local supermarkets and drug stores have been stocking flowers too, the business has gone way down," she leaned onto the counter and sighed.

"Cheer up, Meilin. The store has plenty of customers. Just because business isn't booming doesn't mean it's not successful. Look on the bright side of things. At least your not going bankrupt," he hoped that would help. That was his way of cheering himself up when he was down. He just remembered to think of all the things that were good in his life when the bad things in life were getting to him. Meilin finally smiled.

"Alright, alright. Well, on the bright side-for you guys at least, there's too many of you. Two of you guys can go home. If any of you have a special someone, you can take something from the store and give it to them. It's on me," she said.

Sakura, one of the employees he'd gotten to know over the last three weeks, giggled and took up the offer. She picked out a bouquet of roses for her boyfriend and skipped out the door with a huge blush on her face. Jonouchi would've liked to take the offer, but he didn't have a special someone (not one whose address was known), and he didn't have anything better to do at home. If he spent Valentine's Day alone, that would've been just depressing for him. He would at least rather spend it around the shop with his friends. The other three employees, one being Miho, seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"I'm staying," Miho said, and the other two repeated after her.

At that same moment, a customer came in the front door. Jonouchi turned around out of curiosity, and met eyes with someone he knew very well. He covered his mouth and held back a laugh.

"Hey Jonouchi!" Honda exclaimed from across the store. His cheeks were red and his hands looked a little sweaty.

"Come to buy someone flowers?" Jonouchi smirked at him. By then Honda was standing next to Jonouchi.

"Yes," he looked down. He must've been embarrassed. "I'm buying Miho some flowers. I know where she lives, so I'm going to give them to her right after I leave," he said, but he didn't say it loud enough for Miho, just feet away, to hear. She was talking to her mother with her back faced towards them. She hadn't even noticed he came in. Honda hadn't noticed that she was there either. Jonouchi smirked. He'd forgotten to tell Honda that Miho worked there.

"Well, look around. I'm sure you'll find something you like," he said, and Honda agreed.

Minutes later, Honda had picked out a bouquet full of red and pink roses and was winding through the aisles towards the cash register. To Jonouchi's delight, Miho had taken Meilin's place at the cash register. He was so excited waiting to see Honda's face when he walked up there that he tapped his foot rapidly in anticipation.

"Miho! It's…It's you!" Honda gasped. His face was priceless. It was pure shock and embarrassment that Jonouchi saw on his face. This was payback to Honda for making fun of him about working here.

"Hello, Honda!" Miho smiled cheerfully at him, but once she saw the roses her face turned a bit sour. Jonouchi was confused.

"Hello Miho!" He handed her the bouquet over the counter. Honda looked embarrassed, and Miho looked upset. Jonouchi had no idea what to think. He was eager to see how this would play out, so he watched from afar while pretending to organize some boxes of filler flowers.

"Who are the flowers for?" she asked accusingly.

"Um…well…" Honda blushed and mumbled.

"$19.99, please," she said. Honda handed her the cash. She fumbled with the cash register for a short moment and handed the bouquet back to him. She looked at him blankly.

"So who did you say they were for?" Miho crossed her arms. What was wrong with her? This was so unlike Miho. She was usually so cheerful.

"They…they um…they're actually…"

Jonouchi didn't even pretend to be organizing anything anymore. The suspense was killing him.

"They're for you, Miho!" Honda yelled and quickly lengthened his arm, handing the flowers to her. His face was completely red. He covered his eyes, bracing himself. Jonouchi saw Miho's expression immediately lighten. She smiled and gasped in shock. Honda didn't see this though. His arm was still covering his eyes.

"Really? For me? Are you serious?" her tone was ecstatic. Honda uncovered his eyes and looked at her with complete confusion. He obviously had expected rejection. Judging by Miho's sudden change in tone, she'd thought the flowers were for somebody else. He never figured she'd get so mad from that thought.

Jonouchi stopped listening and actually did start organizing the filler flowers in his aisle. So they were going to be together happily ever after. The fact that they would be so happy together made Jonouchi happy, but seeing them made him think of Mai. He wished he could give Mai some flowers today.

Honda left a while later. Miho hummed happily to herself at the cash register admiring her roses. She looked extremely happy. More customers came in and bought flowers, which cheered Meilin up even more. She was having a good time showing customers around and helping them find what they needed. Jonouchi was stuck with cleaning and straightening up. The place needed to be clean for the busiest day of the year. He really wished he could see Mai today. It was Valentine's Day! He wanted to be with her, and all the romantic setting around him didn't make him feel any better.

Meilin walked up to him with a giddy smile on her face. Jonouchi looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Did you get some flowers too?" he asked, with unintentional resentment in his voice. All this love and happiness was making him jealous. Her smile didn't change.

"No, there's someone here who wants to see you," she said awkwardly. She was smiling so wide it was hard for her to talk.

"Ok…" Jonouchi said confused.

"She's at the front of the store by the cash register," she giggled and left him to himself. 'She'? What was going on? He strode over the front of the store. He turned the corner…

"OH MY GOD!!" Jonouchi yelled shamelessly. Everybody around him stared. Mai stood in front of him with a bouquet of assorted flowers in her hand. She looked extremely agitated; her arms were crossed, her lips were pursed and she was tapping her foot nervously. Maybe he shouldn't have shouted. He stood there, open mouthed, completely surprised. What was Mai doing here? And with flowers? It couldn't be…

She walked over to him and moved close to him.

"I bought these for you," she said in a low voice, so nobody could hear. They'd stopped staring and returned to their business. "Happy Valentine's Day," she hissed and thrust the bouquet into his hands. She took a step back and glared at him, as though waiting for a response. She looked awfully pretty, Jonouchi thought. She wore a small, light pink top paired with casual blue jeans. Her hair was as blonde and wavy as ever. She looked stunning, and rather cute because she was so angry. Jonouchi had always thought women were sexy when they were angry. It seemed absurd, but it was extremely true. Mai was no exception.

"Th…Thankyou!" he had no idea what to say. He needed to say something cool, and he needed to say it quick.

"You're welcome. You bought me flowers…so I bought you some. I hope you like them," she said. She hesitated a moment, and then stormed off in the opposite direction, towards the door.

"Mai! Wait!" he yelled again. Everybody around him stared again. "Stop staring!" he yelled, and everybody turned around. He walked over towards Mai.

"Hold on a second. I'll be right back. Wait for me, promise?" he asked quickly. She raised an eyebrow at him. She bit her lip and nodded.

Jonouchi searched the store frantically for Meilin. He couldn't let Mai leave like that; he couldn't let her leave so fast after he'd been wanting to see her all day. He couldn't believe this was happening; it was so all-of-a-sudden. He hoped this would go well, because he'd come up with the idea in about three seconds. Butterflies jittered in his stomach nervously but excitedly. He felt elated. Seeing Mai had given him a rush; his adrenaline pumped harder than it had in weeks. After winding through three different hallways, he found Meilin. She turned immediately and smiled at him.

"So?" she asked.

"Can I have a bouquet of flowers? And some chocolates?"

"Of course! Is that the woman you delivered flowers to last week?"

"Yes…and…"

"What?"

"If I…If I ask her out on a date, today…and she says yes…" he paused, and Meilin nodded.

"Can I leave?"

"Of course! I said two of you could go! You're the second person! Now go have fun!"

"That's if she says yes…" he looked down. Meilin looked at him open mouthed.

"For chrissake, Jonouchi! She just bought you flowers! Of course she wants to go on a date with you!"

"Thank you, Meilin," he said and walked excitedly back towards Mai. Meilin had a point. She had just bought him flowers! What on earth was that all about anyway? He was happy, no doubt, but he was also shocked and confused. Could this mean she actually had feelings for him? Or at least a little crush? It seemed impractical because of how old and beautiful she was, and now young and ordinary he was, but so many things she did and said told him it could very likely be true. He'd fantasized about it, and dreamed about it, and day-dreamed about it, but he never thought something like this would _actually_ be happening…maybe it was all a very good dream…no! It couldn't be! He knew that he was just an extremely lucky boy right now. He was determined to take advantage of his luck.

He turned the corner and there she was, waiting for him like she said she would. He almost wondered what he would do if she wasn't there. She stood there, still looking as angry, but sexy as ever.

"Mai!" he said. She turned and locked eyes with him. He loved her eyes. They were a deep, intense amethyst. Her gaze always looked shrewd and calculating. She wore a shimmery pink powder on her eyelids, and think black mascara coated her eyelashes. Her cheeks shimmered light pink in the light, and her lips were a glossy, cherry red. It was very simple, clean, and done. He didn't know why her pretty face looked so angry, but he could only smile at her in return.

:j:m:

Oh god! That silly smile! Jonouchi just gave Mai his silly smile. She hated it, she really did. She tried not to let that cursed smile affect her, but when he let out a small laugh Mai couldn't control herself. Her lips were forced into an awkward, unfamiliar feeling, toothy grin. When was the last time she'd smiled like that? She never smiled without deciding to smile before. Butterflies zoomed around excitedly in her stomach, giving her a floating sensation. Her whole body heated up. Her heart beat faster. She fought the urge to reach out and touch him, to grab his hand and hold it shamelessly. She wondered what his tanned hands felt like. She looked down at them, and it wasn't until she did so that she noticed he was holding a bouquet of flowers. She looked up into Jonouchi's honey brown eyes. He held up the flowers in front of her.

"These are for you," he said quietly to her. It was cute how shy he sounded. It was quite different from all the yelling he was doing just a little bit earlier. She grabbed them from his hands slowly. When she did, her fingers brushed the tips of his. She held in her hands a medium sized bouquet of yellow tulips, accompanied by bright, large, green leaves and small, white, daisies as filler. How did he know she loved yellow flowers? They were her favorite, and he seemed to get it every time.

"Thankyou," she said as she felt her cheeks heat up. She smiled unsurely at him. "I really like yellow flowers."

"Really? Me too, yellow is my favorite color for flowers," he smiled at her. His eyes seemed to smile too. He suddenly cleared his throat and fidgeted uncomfortably. He clasped his hands behind his back.

"Mai?"

"Yes?"

"Umm…would you like to go on a date today? You know…it's Valentine's Day…and I think it would be really nice to spend it with a woman like you…if the answer's no, it's ok, I underst-"

"Yes, Jonouchi. I would love to go on a date with you," she said, not being able to hold back a smile. Her adrenaline was coursing through her body out of all control. If she didn't stop herself, she would have screamed and jumped up and down like a crazy person on the spot. That wouldn't have been good. It was a good thing that she did have self control. She clenched her fists, trying to release some of the excitment she was holding inside.

Jonouchi beamed at her and happily let out a huge breath of relief. He looked excited and giddy and silly.

* * *

AN: They're going on a date! Review if you want to see how it goes... 


	7. Chapter 6 Pt 2

AN: I've had the busiest week ever! That's why this took so long to write. You can also blame Death Note and Claymore for being such addicting animes. Thanks for the review everybody!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

**Chapter 6 Pt. 2**

They walked outside of the flower shop in silence. Neither one of them knew what to say to the other because they were both so nervous. Mai couldn't believe this was happening. She was so happy that she would finally get to spend some real time with Jonouchi. How could she make the best impression possible?

"Would you like to get lunch, Mai?" Jonouchi asked her. She tuned into her stomach and realized that yes, she would definitely like some lunch. She'd been so dreadful and nervous all morning that her appetite had completely left her. Right on cue, her stomach roared loudly.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said and smiled. Jonouchi had his driver's license, but didn't have enough money to but a car. Mai drove herself and Jonouchi to her favorite local café. It was a French café that served the most delicious soups and pasta plates. Mai liked to keep her weight down, but she was not the type of girl to eat at the salad bar.

Since the downtown area of Domino, where the café was at, was so crowded, they had to park a distance away. They stepped out into the cold, brisk air with the sun shining down on them. On the sidewalk they walked a foot apart from each other still in silence. Mai wanted to say something to start up a conversation, but she didn't want to say anything dumb, or have forced conversation. Forced conversation was the worst.

"Ah! The silence!" Jonouchi said and laughed. At least he acknowledged it.

"Yes…"

"So tell me a little about yourself. Likes? Dislikes?" he said. Mai was glad he had said that, because afterwards she'd get to ask him the same question.

"Let's see…" she started. She had to think for a moment. During that moment it struck her that she didn't know the last time anybody had asked her that question. When was the last time she'd told any guy or girl her likes or dislikes? "I like…" did she like anything? She couldn't even think of anything. "You go first!" she said annoyed with herself.

"Aww, alright. I like going to school, seeing my friends, board games, playing duel monsters, reading comics, watching TV, playing Nintendo, dogs (especially Golden Retrievers), pizza, chow Mein, pastries, Disneyland...and my job at the flower shop. My job's a lot of fun," he finally finished. Mai was shocked, and deeply impressed. He loved so much stuff. He seemed to really get the most out of life…unlike her. She wished she could be more like that. She desperately needed to take up some new hobbies. "My dislikes are…gosh, I don't know. I guess I don't like lots of homework, too many hours at work, my lousy apartment, and when there's not enough to eat at home. Alright, now your turn," he said. Oh great, it was her turn. She didn't want to sound so lame in front of him. She wanted to sound interesting. If Jonouchi could do it, so could she.

"I like…oh don't know. Reading books and magazines, I enjoy my job a lot, I like writing…and I really like the food we're about to eat at this restaurant up ahead. Have you ever been there before, the Curbside Café?"

"Nope,"

"You won't believe your mouth when you taste it! There's this appetizer tomato soup, it's just spectacular, and then my favorite entrée is the shrimp pasta dish they serve. That's what I'm getting, what will you get?"

"Oh wow! I don't know, I like shrimp too, I guess I'll try that."

"You have too! It's so good! I swear, you'll love this place. I go there for breakfast too sometimes. They serve this omelet plate that's just great…"

Mai talked on and on (and on) about the Crubside Café, and Jonouchi listened to her every word. Once she got talking, she was surpised to find that she didn't really want to stop. She definitely had found one of her likes. She didn't want to get into her dislikes for the moment. Talking to Jonouchi about the restaurant made her so excited and happy. The conversation wasn't forced at all.

Inside and seated in the restaurant, Mai's complete and immaculate review of the Curbside Café had drawn to a close. She had even gone on to tell him about her favorite magazines and books, since he'd asked. He learned that her favorite books were Huckleberry Finn and, she was embarrassed to admit, Harry Potter. She loved those books with a passion! She was excited to find out that he loved the books just as much. At the table they were still gushing enthusiastically about their favorite characters and scenes. Her favorite character was Hermione, because she was so smart and determined, and his favorite were Fred and George Weasley, because they were so funny, confident, and laid back. She learned that his favorite comic was the American comic Batman (she'd honestly never even heard of it).

She completely forgotten herself and her nerves in the restaurant. She and Jonouchi were so absorbed in their conversation, learning as much as they could about the other, that they didn't even notice when the waitress put the check on the table.

Full and lazy feeling, Mai eventually picked up the little book and opened it. Good food for less money as always. She pulled out her wallet out of her pocket-no, she did not use a purse- and reached with her fingers for her credit card.

"No!" Jonouchi shouted from across the table. He sat up straight from his lazy leaning back position. "I asked you out to lunch, I'll pay!" he seemed determined, but Mai knew he was tight on money. The restaurant was cheap, but not that cheap. She looked at him blankly,

"I'll-"

"No!"

"Fifty-fif-"

"No!"

She paused and pondered it.

"Are you sure? It's thirty dollars,"

"Yes! I'll pay," and pay he did. He pulled out a bunch of fives and ones out of his front pocket and placed it into the black booklet on the side of the table.

They left the restaurant feeling relaxed and comfortable. Mai was so relieved that they got along well. Once she let herself go a little bit, everything came so naturally. They walked down the sidewalk a few inches closer than they did before.

They'd walked one block towards the car when Jonouchi suddenly gestured Mai to turn to the left instead of going straight, which was the direction the car was in.

"C'mon, there's a place I want to take you to. If you liked the flowers I gave you, you'll definitely like this place," he said. Mai nodded and followed him.

A while later, twenty or thirty minutes Mai guessed, they were still walking and Mai was starting to wonder where on earth he could be taking her so far away. Before she could ask, though, he spoke.

"It's right there," he said and pointed across the street. There was a large park abundant with bright colored flowers and maple trees. Mai found it extremely pleasant and serene looking. Jonouchi looked pleased. They walked across the street and into the large green park. A ways into the park, Jonouchi trotted over the nearest tree and lay down on the grass. Mai was thankful; her feet were starting to hurt badly.

She lay next to him in the shade. The sun shined peacefully around them, creating warmth that they could not entirely escape in the shade. It felt nice, though, because the shade kept it from being hot. Mai turned her head to her sides and noticed that so many flowers were around her. There must've been hundreds and hundreds of Chrysanthemums and roses and poppies and other flowers she did not know the names of around her. When she lifted up her head, she could see masses of white, yellow, red, blue, purple, and orange.

She could also see Jonouchi lying peacefully next to her. His chocolate eyes were gazing at her and he had a faint smile on his face. His hands were behind his head nicely and his hair, nicely brushed, still framed his face wildly.

"This is a nice place, Jonouchi," she said, lying back onto the ground entirely. She lay on her side facing him.

"Thank you. I thought you would like it. Perfect for Valentine's Day, don't you think?" he smiled at her.

"Yes," she said dreamier than she would have liked, while blushing more than she would have liked. Embarrassed, she quickly lay on her back and closed her eyes.

:j:m:

Jonouchi wondered what she was thinking at that moment. The look she gave him was a different look than any she had ever given him before. Instead of looking clever and sharp, she looked so relaxed and so…dreamy. She obviously blushed, but quickly turned away. What could that mean? He couldn't really concentrate on that for the moment. Since she closed her eyes he could stare at her beautiful being freely. This was more than he could have ever asked for.

She opened one eye suspiciously. She caught him ogling; he quickly blushed himself and lay on his back, closing his eyes.

:j:m:

Mai lay there smiling. Inside she laughed at Jonouchi for staring at her. She wasn't even offended, she was simply amused.

Moments passed and neither one of them said a word. The just laid there, enjoying the grass and the warmth around them. One particular moment, however, she felt something on the tips of her fingers closest to Jonouchi. She dismissed it, and waited. It happened again. She realized another pair of fingers were ever so lightly touching hers.

Warmth that was not from the sun coursed throughout her body. Boldly, she stretched her fingers out and linked them with his.

Minutes more passed as the two together drifted off into a warm, tranquil rest.

:j:m:

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" a deep male voice spoke above her. She could only see blackness; her eyes were closed. She opened her tired eyes slowly and groggily to see a blurry scene before her. She saw a dark haired man and a auburn-haired woman standing above her. The sky behind them was bright orange, making the pair look dark. It must've been dusk. She suddenly realized where she was and who should be lying next to her.

"Jonouchi…" she whispered and turned to the side. Sure enough, he was there close to her slowly opening his eyes also. He let out a yawn. He looked at her happily.

"Heya," he said and smiled.

"So what are you two doing here so late on Valentine's Day?" the deep voice spoke again. Mai, awake now, turned upwards to see Mr. Oshiro and his wife standing there. His arm was lightly wrapped around her waist. Mai quickly realized what an awkward situation this was. Jonouchi must've too, because he sat up at the same time as she did, fully alert.

"Oh, um…we ran into each other, and we decided to eat lunch together," Mai told him. She hoped that would be enough.

"And you two ended up sleeping together in the park somehow?" he sneered. She didn't like the way he said that; it had too many bad implications.

"We were just enjoying the place, thank you," Jonouchi said annoyed. He glared at him angrily. Mai needed to find a solution to this fast.

She stood up. Jonouchi followed suite.

"We'll be going now…I suppose you two were in the middle of a romantic stroll?" Mai said to Mrs. Oshiro. She was much nicer and much more understanding than Mr. Oshiro, therefore she would be easier work with.

"Yes, we were. Zenji, let's continue," she smiled and pulled Mr. Oshiro down the amber, concrete path towards the sunset. With one last glare, Mr. Oshiro turned away from the two of them and feigned a cheerful farewell. They two watched them walk away for a moment.

"I don't like that guy," Jonouchi mumbled under his breath, "I don't like him talking to you like that," he said. Mai looked at him pitifully and laid a soft, manicured hand on his upper arm.

"Forget about him for now," she said softly. Keeping her hand on his arm, she pulled him the opposite direction on the path, away from the sun.

"We can go on a walk too, now that we're rested," she said and he obliged. They walked brushing shoulders and fingertips now. They were silent for a time. Their confrontation with Mr. Oshiro shook them a little, especially Jonouchi.

Stars appeared in the sky as they walked through garden after garden in large luscious park. They passed more and more flowers until they reached a garden of wild roses under the bright moonlight. They followed the concrete path until the reached a water fountain. They heard the water rushing slowly through the fountain's cycle. Roses surrounded them, and the smell of the wild roses reached their noses. They stood there silent a moment, enjoying the sweet smell and sight around them.

Jonouchi grabbed her hand and turned towards her.

"I'm really glad you came to the flower shop today," he said quietly.

"I am too."

They faced each other silently. The night sky darkened his eyes to black, and his skin to a grayish blue. The chill of the night was diminished by the touch of his hand on hers. She felt him inch closer to her and she felt herself involuntarily return the motion.

Mai knew what was coming before she could stop it. Would tonight really be her first kiss on the lips? She'd dated other men before, but she'd never felt close enough to them or anybody before to feel like this; to want to kiss a man on the lips.

Before she could ponder another thought, a pair of lips brushed hers. He pushed his lips towards hers, kissing her lightly. His lips felt soft, but tough at the same time. This was what a man's lips feel like? This wonderful?

His lips left hers. The cold air chilled her wet lips. She grasped his hand and pulled him towards her. She wrapped a slender arm around his muscular waist and leaned forward to meet those warm lips again. His arm slipped around her waist, and his hand touched the bare small of her back that her shirt did not cover. Shivers ran down her spine from his touch, causing her to lean closer towards him.

He kissed her one last time and pulled away. His dark eyes looked at her timidly but happily. A faint smile was on his lips and his bangs hung down over his forehead heavily.

"When will we see each other again?" he asked.

"Next weekend?"

"I'll ask for Saturday off."

"Then next Saturday it is."

* * *

AN: BTW, the story's far from over... Reviews appreciated. Arigato. 


	8. Chapter 7

AN: I'm finally back! My internet's was down for about a week, so I haven't been on in a while. Thankyou for the reviews everybody, I'm glad everybody liked the last chapter. Without further ado, here's the beginning of the rest of the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

**Chapter 7**

Mai walked into her office Monday morning with an extra bounce in her step. Her date with Jonouchi had been running through her mind all weekend. The flowers, the chocolates, the shop, the lunch, and the park…and the kiss…she blushed and tried to hold back a smile while walking down the hallway of cubicles. Ever since Saturday, the idea of her and Jonouchi actually being something seemed so real, rather than just a silly daydream. They would go on a second date that weekend and then maybe a third date the next. She had a special idea in mind for that. They'd agreed to watch a movie together Saturday night and eat dinner afterwards. She could hardly wait. She loved how she felt around him. He was so funny and laid back and silly. She felt like she could just relax when she was around him, and like she didn't have to be anything but herself. He actually seemed to like her for more than her looks, which was a first for her. He'd actually asked her questions, and he'd actually listened. All the guys she'd dated before never did that. They weren't thoughtful enough. The thing about Jonouchi she loved the most was that he was so silly and goofy, but yet he was so caring and thoughtful at the same time. He could give her a good laugh and then he could really care for her. She sighed and hoped that she wasn't blowing everything out of proportion. For all she knew, he was just trying to get laid by an older, attractive woman. She didn't know how she could find out.

"Good morning, Ms. Kujaku!" a female, high pitched voice squealed from down the hall way. A short, red haired woman walked towards her with a box in her hands. "Here's the box of old magazines you wanted," she said with a relieved expression on her face as she dropped the heavy cardboard box into Mai's hands. The woman sighed tiredly.

"Good morning and thank you, Mrs. Vasquez," she said abruptly. Her last thoughts about Jonouchi had made her a little angry. Mrs. Vasquez looked at Mai strangely. Usually she looked respectful and a little intimidated, but this morning she looked excited. She had a quivering smile on her face, and her eyes stared at Mai eagerly.

"You look upset, Ms. Kujaku," she said. Since when did a worker ever talk to her like that?, she wondered.

"Why shouldn't I be? I'm at work early on a Monday morning and I'm now carrying a really heavy box," she said angrily, but Mrs. Vasquez's smile didn't waver. If anything, it looked quite devious now.

"Well…I heard you went on a date this weekend!" She let out all in one breath. She'd obviously been holding this back. Mai sighed.

"How many of you know?"

"Mr. Orshiro announced it this morning!" she kept smiling. She was smirking now. Mai sighed again.

"Yes, I went on a date this weekend," Mai hoped that would be enough, but she was smirking at her.

"What the hell is that look for?" she asked angrily.

"Is he really sixteen years old?" Mai somehow knew this was coming. It was just like Mr. Oshiro to tell everybody this and let everybody get in her business. It was embarrassing enough going on a date with a sixteen year old without anybody knowing, but with everybody knowing? This was taking a toll on her pride…

"Yes, so quit giving me that look."

"Did you have fun? Do you like him?" she asked excitedly. Mai didn't really want to talk about this with her, but she didn't want to act rude and create tension in the workplace.

"I had fun, and yes, I like him."

"Really? Even though he's so young?" she looked disbelieving. Mai knew that Mrs. Vasquez was at least in her late thirties or early forties, so this was probably a lot harder for her to understand.

"Yes, I like him," she repeated. Mrs. Vasquez looked at her a moment and hesitated to speak, as if she was thinking.

"Alright, but… really, a woman like you could do much better," she smiled pitifully and walked past her.

Mai was deeply offended. She didn't even know Jonouchi and she was saying that she could do better. She was judging him completely based on his age. Mai scowled on the inside at the woman. She was so rude!, she thought. How could she be so judgmental? Then her thoughts stopped dead in their tracks. What Mrs. Vasquez just said was what Mai had been thinking to herself the whole time. She'd thought to herself that she could do much better because he's only sixteen years old. Was she really the same as Mrs. Vasquez by judging Jonouchi just on his age? She was exactly the same she realized, but after hearing the woman judge Jonouchi so harshly she realized how bad it was. She thought about Jonouchi again. Yes, he was young, but he seemed so much older. His casual sense of humor, his kindness, his caring, his responsibility were all very adult qualities. She'd always thought teenagers were so immature, but…

_Maybe I'm the one that's been immature…_

That couldn't be it…could it? She was an adult. She had a job, she paid the bills, she had a nice car, she had the right clothes, the right look, she had respect from others… she wondered silently to herself.

"Mai!" she heard a deep voice call her name from in front of her. She looked up to see Mr. Oshiro walking towards her down the hallway. "Are you asleep over there? You're just standing there and I called your name twice already!" he said cheerfully. His cheeks were flushed, as if he'd just finished laughing. She realized that she had been standing there, dozing off about Jonouchi.

"Sorry…just spaced out," she forced a smile. She had to admit, she probably looked pretty dumb just standing there.

"May I carry that box to your office for you?" he held his hands out.

"No. I'll do it," and she walked off. He followed just behind her into her office much to Mai's despair. She really didn't want to talk to him right now. If only he wasn't the one holding her paycheck…

She set the heavy box down hurriedly and sat in her leather chair in behind her desk. Mr. Oshiro politely sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. He looked at her amusedly and silently, saying nothing.

"Well? Are you here for something?" she asked angrily. Mr. Oshiro only looked more amused.

"Oh, how I love a woman with a short temper. So cute…" he sighed, losing himself in a daydream. He looked back at her. "Too bad my wife's the complete opposite. I couldn't make her mad if I tried. She can be so dull sometimes…"

Mai didn't want to hear stuff like this and she didn't see the point. Was this only more of his constant flirting?

"I'll be sending a few last minute invites to Spirit's tenth anniversary gala this morning. Anybody you would like me to call?" she asked, changing the subject. That usually worked best in these situations.

"Hm…I didn't invite my wife because she's not going. She and I received a last minute invite to her sister's wedding down south on the same day as the gala. I'll be going to the gala of course."

"I'm sorry that didn't work out for you two."

"Oh-ho, don't worry about it, life goes on," he said and paused a moment. Then he smiled at her, showing his bleached teeth. "What about your new man…or should I say boy-toy…are you inviting him?" he said smirking at her.

"You think you're really funny, don't you?" she said and he didn't say anything. "You know you had no business telling everybody about that this morning," she tried not to glare at him. He was her boss, after all.

"They all like you and most of them work for you. They have a right to know. And anyway, they're all happy for you."

"Did you have to tell them he's only sixteen?"

"Does that embarrass you?"

"…No."

"Then what's the problem?" he said. As much as she hated him at that moment, he was right. She shouldn't be embarrassed by Jonouchi or else she would be as bad as Mrs. Vasquez.

"Just stay out of my business."

"Well, I have to say, I think you're wasting your time with the boy-"

"I didn't ask for your opinion!"

"-and that he doesn't have the age or the maturity to be dating a woman like you. You need a real man in your life," he finished calmly and looked deeply into her eyes. His green eyes looked calm and steady, something that comes with the passing of one's prime age. Mai stared at him for a minute, trying to restrain herself from yelling at him.

"If that's what you've come to say, then please leave my office," she said calmly. He let out a sigh and stood up a moment later. He looked at her calmly, but as if he was angry on the inside.

"There's a meeting in my office at one o' clock. Be there," he said promptly and left the room, letting the door close with a quiet click.

Mai hated him. He was rude, and he was wrong. He was wrong about Jonouchi. She was, in fact, planning to invite him to the gala. There she would prove that a gentleman was a gentleman no matter what age he was...

She hoped.

* * *

AN: Thanks for reading. Reviews appreciated . 


	9. Chapter 8

AN: Hello, everybody! Happy New Year...my hiatus is over. Enjoy...

**Chapter 8**

Mai stood in front of her bathroom mirror looking at her reflection. She definitely wasn't finished. She'd dried and styled her hair to luscious, blonde, wavy perfection, but her face was in need of some help. Not that she didn't look stunning already, but for her date with Jonouchi tonight, she had to look perfect. She took a compact full of light powder and brushed it all over her face. She swiped some red blush over her cheeks and some shimmering eye shadow over her lids. Some black mascara was swiped over her long eyelashes. She leaned a few inches back to see what she looked like. She looked great, but something was missing. She stood there staring for a moment, but then she grabbed the lip gloss. She opened the pink cap and held up the gloss to her lips, but then halted. She put the cap back on and set the applicator down. She didn't want her lips to look unkissable…She shook her head and grabbed the applicator again. She hastily opened the cap and smothered her lips in sticky, shiny gloss.

She took another look at the mirror. She looked good to go. She walked out of the bathroom, grabbed her coat, slipped on her shoes, and headed out the door.

The elevator opened and she walked into the parking garage where her car was. She was planning to pick him up at his apartment. He'd told her that he'd show her his apartment later tonight. She was excited to see what his apartment looked like. It probably wasn't much, since he was paying for that and all of his other bills with minimum wage jobs. It was amazing he even had an apartment at all. She wondered what they would do inside his apartment. She was hoping they could just hang out and relax, maybe watch some television or something. Maybe she would meet his Dad…she remembered he said that his father wouldn't be home. He said he would be out at some party or something. Everything they did tonight would be innocent; she was determined to make sure of that. It was only their second date after all. Wow only the second date! It felt to Mai that she'd known him so much longer. A blush crept up onto her cheeks. She was really falling fast…

She shook her head. What was she thinking? She couldn't go inside his apartment. He was probably trying to get her inside his apartment just so he could try and get some from her. He probably thought since she was older she was easier to get in bed. On the other hand, that just didn't seem like Jonouchi. She neared her car deep in thought.

:j:m:

Jonouchi stumbled out of his apartment with his wallet and cell phone in hand. He scowled angrily. So much for inviting Mai into his apartment, tonight, he thought. He knew he reeked of B.O. and alcohol. His father said he was _going_ to a party, not _throwing_ a party. Dozens of men were in there drinking. The whole apartment was dirty because of them. He tried his best to make himself look good for Mai tonight, but after being in the middle of that crowd, he felt grimy and gross.

He walked into the apartment bathroom. Compared to the rest of the apartment complex, the bathroom was rather clean. He looked into the mirror. His blonde hair was clean, his face was washed, but his clothes were less than great. His father had forgotten to wash his laundry yesterday, so he was wearing clothes from over two years ago. His pants were about an inch or two too short, and his shirt was much tighter than he would've preferred it. The only thing that looked normal on him was his jacket, but that reeked. He sighed. He was going to look stupid in front of Mai tonight. He hoped that she didn't over dress. If she didn't, he'd have a better chance of getting away with his too casual outfit. He sighed. He wished he looked better.

He walked out of the bathroom and all the way out of the apartment building. He agreed to meet Mai outside the building at six so they could catch a movie at six thirty. He looked back at the building. Mai was supposed to come inside and visit his apartment tonight, but with this mess going on, he definitely didn't think that would be happening this evening. He'd been planning on cleaning the house before he left so it would look presentable to Mai when she came. He was planning on his Dad not being home so she didn't have to meet him. He sighed. He hated his apartment. It was so gross. He loved his father, but his father was gross too. He dressed like a homeless man and always smelled bad. What would Mai think of that? What would she think of his apartment? She'd probably be grossed out. He wished he had a home like Yugi's. It was so clean and everybody there was so nice. When he moved out and started his own family, he would definitely start it in a place like that.

He sat outside the apartment on a nearby bench and decided to wait for Mai there. After he'd had a minute of fresh air, his spirits lifted a little. On the bright side of all this, he was finally going to see Mai again! It felt like it'd been so long since he'd seen her, yet it was only last weekend. He didn't understand how something this wonderful was happening to him. She actually kissed him. He smiled and blushed to himself. With the signs she was giving him, they could actually be something together. He wondered to himself how many dates you go on with a woman before you're exclusive. Two? He hoped so, but she was older, she would know.

He felt weird dating a twenty four year old, but when he was with her, it felt so natural. She just had that something about her that he really liked.

He saw a white car driving towards him down the street. He felt a sharp pang in his stomach and his heart beat loudly. He suddenly felt dreadful when he should've been feeling excited. He looked wrong, he smelt wrong, and he only had twenty dollars in his pocket.

:j:m:

Mai looked at her notepaper again. This was it: she'd reached his apartment. It was a dark, mahogany, average looking building with a few pine trees in front. It looked about five stores high. As she flicked down her turn signal, preparing to pull left onto the driveway, she noticed a boy with a familiar green jacket sitting outside on a bench. She smiled. It was Jonouchi. His posture was unusually slouched, and she could see him looking at her. She flashed a smile like she usually did. He only feigned a closed smile back and waved unenthusiastically. She scoffed at him from inside the car, assuming he wouldn't notice it. Why wasn't he happy to see her? Was he tired of her after only one date? She shrugged. She knew she couldn't jump to conclusions. She sighed.

She pulled into the driveway and found a compact parking space behind the bench Jonouchi was sitting at. He got off of the bench and walked calmly towards her car. Couldn't he look at least the little bit excited to see her? She pulled the key out and opened the car door with butterflies in her stomach, although Jonouchi was making her feel uneasy.

"Hey Mai," Jonouchi said to her and smiled, but to Mai it was so obvious that it was fake. He was not happy.

"Hi…Jonouchi, what's the matter?" she asked.

"It's not important. It's just…I don't look too good tonight. My clothes are too small. My dad forgot to do my laundry so I'm wearing old ones…" he finished looking down at the ground. Was that the problem? He didn't think he looked good? He was the cutest guy she'd ever met, she thought as she hid a blush. No clothes he wore could change that. She looked him up and down. The pants looked tight and a little short. The shirt was tight and form fitting. The jacket hung on him like it did the last time.

"Nonsense. You look wonderful." She said looking him straight in the eye. She felt proud of herself. That had to make him feel better. After all, Mai was known for being hard to please. Jonouchi just looked down and muttered something that sounded like "You're just saying that." Mai scowled. She actually gave him a compliment and he just brushed it aside. Maybe he just needed some time to get over it.

:j:m:

Mai and Jonouchi took their seats near the back row of the crowded movie theater. Mai held the popcorn and Jonouchi held the drinks. They both kept their eyes glued to the screen as the movie trailers appeared, not saying a word to each other. Jonouchi wasn't cheerful and talkative at all, even after she'd told him he looked great. What was the problem? Was it her? Was he just bored? Maybe he was just waiting for later tonight. He had promised to show her his apartment. That couldn't be it. That just wasn't Jonouchi. But then again, she'd only known him for a short time. She scowled on the inside. That had to be it. He was just trying to get some from her later tonight. Sixteen years old, forty years old, they were all the same. All men were just horny.

She felt Jonouchi's eyes on her. She desperately wanted him to stop looking at her. Just look away, she thought. She didn't want him to look at her and possible be checking her out. She felt his hand on top of hers. She hastily moved her hand away. She looked at Jonouchi. Still looking at her, his eyes seemed soft and caring. Could he actually care about Mai? It couldn't be true. She wasn't the type of woman men fell in love with. She was the type of woman men wanted to have sex with. She'd dated too many men to deny it. Jonouchi moved his hand away from her and looked back on the screen saying nothing.

:j:m:

She was embarrassed to be seen with Jonouchi. He just knew it. She could smell the alcohol and the B.O. and probably was grossed out. It wasn't even his fault. It was his blasted father and his disgusting friends. It would've been better if he looked right, but he didn't. Mai looked immaculate. She looked polished and beautiful. He just looked scruffy and lousy. She didn't even want to touch him. He could feel a chunk of her blonde hair touching his shoulder. Shivers traveled throughout his body. He was really a sucker for blonde hair, he had to admit. He just wanted to run his hands through her beautiful, long, wavy hair…maybe while kissing her…Jonouchi blushed. Even though he had no problems with fantasizing now and then, he didn't feel right doing it right in front of her.

He felt a strong hand grab his and set it on the rail in between them with a thud. Mai was holding his hand tightly. Jonouchi smiled. It wasn't quite romantic, but it was cute in Mai's own little way. He looked at her and smiled, but she didn't look back at him. He looked back at the screen. Movie trailers were stupid, he thought. He couldn't wait for "I Am Legend" to come on the screen. Mai wanted to see "Enchanted", but he'd convinced her to see this movie instead.

:j:m:

Jonouchi's touch made her heart beat louder. The simple touch of his hand had her mind racing. She was elated to be holding hands with Jonouchi again. She loved holding hands. It was so sweet. She stared at he movie screen watching a "Sweeny Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" trailer. Jonouchi must've thought she was acting strange. She was just so confused on the inside. She sighed. She wanted to pull up the rail in between her and Jonouchi and wrap her arms around him, given a kiss, lean on his shoulder, and watch the movie with his arms wrapped around her. But she wanted to do that if that was what he wanted. She didn't want to do it if on the inside he was just thinking about later tonight. He would probably do it trying to get on her good side and then try to get some later tonight. Could that really be Jonouchi? How was she supposed to know what his intentions were?

:j:m:

With Mai's hand still in Jonouchi's, the pair walked along the Domino sidewalks. Their jackets shielded them from the nighttime chill. The feeling in Jonouchi's stomach changed back and forth between excited and uneasy. He was excited to be holding hands with her, but he was also worried. The only thing she'd said to him in the last hour was that she liked the movie. She probably wasn't having a good time. She just wanted this date to be over so she could get away from him. It must've been his clothes and how he smelt. How could he have let this happen? Why didn't he check to make sure his laundry had been done last night? Why did he let himself get stuck serving alcohol from the keg? Why did he leave his jacket on the couch right next to where those men were drinking? He sighed frustratedly. He had better savor every last minute of this date while it lasted. He didn't know whether they would be going on another one by the way Mai was acting. He'd been holding Mai's hand for almost an hour now. His hand was sweaty, but he dared not move it. He was afraid if he let go, she wouldn't let him grab her hand again.

:j:m:

Mai reluctantly pulled into the apartment complex Jonouchi lived in. She wished the drive was longer. They hadn't said anything to each other in over thirty minutes. What was wrong with Jonouchi? He wasn't talking to her because he was just waiting for later tonight. She didn't want to go into his apartment. She just wanted to go home. He didn't want to be with her. He didn't want to go to the movies with her. All he cared about was later tonight.

She pulled into a parking space and turned off the car. She put her hands in her lap and sighed. Was Jonouchi finally going to say something to her?

"I'm guessing I'm supposed to visit your apartment now?" Mai asked. Jonouchi had been silent, so Mai decided to speak first. She looked at Jonouchi. He was staring down at his hands with a blank expression.

"Actually…I wanted to, but my dad stayed home tonight," he said not looking at her.

"Oh! I get it! Since, your dad's home we can't go inside! You were planning something that would require us to be alone?"

"No! It's because he threw a party tonight. There's a bunch of guys in there drinking…I didn't want to get you mixed up in that," he finished, but Mai didn't even hear what he said. She was too absorbed in her thoughts.

"What's the matter with you?!" Mai said agitatedly. She was upset. So this was why Jonouchi had been acting so distant with her. He knew he wasn't getting any tonight because he couldn't invite her into his apartment. So this date was pointless to him and he's been bored all this time. Mai couldn't believe this. She was better than this. She didn't have time to waste with horny teenagers. He was trying to get sex from her. She knew it. She should have known from the beginning. Her eyes felt sour. She felt so much for him, and he was just trying to get sex from her. She closed her eyes.

"I can't believe you…you're just…" she shut her eyes harder. She couldn't bear to face the truth.

"…embarrassed." Jonouchi finished for her. Embarrassed? What did that mean? That's not what she was thinking. Mai opened her eyes and looked at Jonouchi, who was still looking at his hands in his lap. He saw her out of the corner of his eye and looked up at her. His face turned into an expression of shock. He muttered her name softly.

Mai felt a drop of water fall down onto her hand in her lap. She lifted her hand to her cheeks and found a wet streak running down her face. She could feel her vision blurring. Her eyes were sour and watery .She wiped underneath her eye along her lower lashes. When she held it out for her to see, she could see her mascara on her finger. She pursed her lips and gritting her teeth.

Jonouchi grabbed the hand she held out in front of her to look at. She looked out of her car door window. How could she cry? Especially in front of somebody else? In front of Jonouchi? Now she was the one that was embarrassed. Embarrassed? What did that mean anyway?

"Why?" she couldn't even talk. Her voice was scratchy. Jonouchi just grabbed her hand with both of his hands now.

"What's wrong, Mai?" he whispered. He leaned in closer.

"Just leave," Mai croaked. She hated to cry. Jonouchi stared at her.

"This date…if it could even be called a date…is over. I'll see you around," she said calmly, even though her voice was shaking. She didn't want him to leave. She was hoping that he wouldn't listen to her, but he did. He turned, opened the car door and stepped outside. He muttered goodbye without looking at her.

* * *

AN: Oh the humanity...Review plz! 


	10. Chapter 9

AN: Hello!

**Warning:** this chapter is angsty...beware.

**Chapter 9**

The morning sunlight shone through Jonouchi's bedroom window, hitting the blonde's face. The direct heat and brightness on his eyes woke him up. Jonouchi turned over and opened his brown eyes to see his black and blue alarm clock blinking 11:30 AM at him. He rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. He felt peaceful. It was Sunday, which meant it was still the weekend, Jonouchi thought happily to himself. He had one last day to relax. He was planning to go to Yugi's Game Shop today. Honda and Anzu were going to be there. Shizuka and Seto were invited too. He hoped they would come. He wanted everybody to come. He couldn't wait to tell them all about his date with Mai last night. He finally got to see Mai again…

Jonouchi opened his eyes and sat up in bed. Memories of last night came rushing in like a tidal wave. It had to have been a dream. No. It was a nightmare. How did last night really go? They had a good time…they talked, and laughed, they saw a movie and enjoyed themselves…they ended with a kiss like last time…Jonouchi groaned. He wished that were true. How did his dream date turn into such a nightmare? He buried his face in his hands. The chill in the air, the dead silence between them, and the argument in the car…Jonouchi was so confused. What happened? At first he thought it was the way he looked and smelled, but after talking to her last night, he didn't know. She didn't seem concerned about that. Now that he thought about it, she'd told that she didn't care about his clothes. She'd even said he looked nice, even if she was just saying it to make him feel better. She seemed angry about visiting his apartment. He didn't want her to come into his apartment and meet his Dad because of his bad hygiene and manners, but she didn't seem to understand that. It's not like he'd said anything to her about it. Her words right after he'd told her his dad would be home replayed in his head. "_Oh! I suppose you were planning something that would require us to be alone?"_ He hadn't even thought of that. Maybe she had the impression that he was trying to get sex from her. That seemed absurd to Jonouchi. Not the idea of sex, no. Having sex with Mai was definitely not a bad idea. But having sex with somebody on the second date, someone you barely know? He felt like he had a decent impression of Mai, and he definitely liked her and was attracted to her, but how much do you really know somebody on only the second date? Jonouchi wanted his first time to be special. He couldn't be that intimate for the first time with somebody unless he really loved them and trusted them.

Whatever the hell happened on their date, everything was ruined now. She hated him. She wouldn't want to go on another date with him after that. Maybe he could apologize. But for what? How could he apologize when didn't even know what he did wrong? She just was angry with him for no reason.

It wouldn't have worked anyway, he thought. She had money and he didn't. She would've walked one step into his apartment and walked straight back out. She would've met his father and hated him. Once she realized how poor he was she would've turned away. She was too good for him. A woman like her couldn't date a man like him. On the other hand, she'd said before how amazing it was that he had two jobs and paid for his apartment. She seemed to appreciate hard workers. Jonouchi sighed. He was so confused and didn't know what to do.

:j:m:

Mai sat at her kitchen table staring at a half eaten plate of eggs and toast. She didn't have much of an appetite. She looked at the clock. It read 11:50. She felt pathetic. It was almost noon and she was barely eating breakfast. She'd gone to bed so late. She'd had the hardest time falling asleep last night. She'd tossed and turned, dealing with a throbbing headache, until at least one or two in the morning. She held her fork with a limp hand and took a small bite of eggs. Immediately afterwards, she pushed the plate away and laid her head in her arms on the table. She groaned angrily.

She couldn't believe that she cried. Crying was for the weak. She was not weak. She felt so embarrassed and humiliated. Jonouchi was making her this way. Ever since he'd come into her life, she'd been on an emotional rollercoaster. One minute she was elated, the next she wanted to punch something, and the next minute she was sad, and then the next minute she was excited. She groaned again and slammed her fist into the table several times, releasing some pent up anger._ Damn it!_ She thought. What the hell happened last night? She thought she knew, but she didn't know anymore. She'd thought about it long and hard, and she was so angry and so upset. She'd thought that he just wanted sex from her, and that that was why he wanted her to come visit his apartment, and that that was why when his dad was home he didn't want her to come visit his apartment. She was so sure of it until their argument in the car last night. She said "_You're just…"_ and then he said_ "embarrassed"? _Jonouchi was just embarrassed? About what? His apartment? His dad? She thought back to the very beginning of their date. His clothes? He was embarrassed about the way he looked? It couldn't be. All of that just seemed too absurd to be true. Then, Mai remembered a time when she was embarrassed about her home.

Every year throughout school she had her birthday party at her nearby cousin's house, which was a nice house. Whenever she'd invite her friends over, which was rarely, she'd invite them to her cousin's house. It was her senior year of high school and none of her friends had seen her house. Finally, her best friend begged to come over. She'd suspected what the problem was and asked Mai about it. When Mai finally confided her insecurity in her, her friend just smiled. She soon after visited her house and after that, it was never mentioned again. Mai frowned. That couldn't be Jonouchi, could it? Maybe it could…Maybe he meant he was embarrassed about something completely different. It could possibly be something she wasn't realizing.

Mai sighed. She missed Jonouchi so much. She started missing him the second he turned away from her to leave the car. And she'd told him to leave! What was she thinking? She told him to leave because he wanted sex…but he didn't…he was embarrassed…why was he embarrassed? Mai needed answers. This was too confusing for her. She needed to see him, she needed to hear him, and she needed to know just what he was thinking. Could he possibly be just as confused as she was right now? Did he even care as much as she did? He probably didn't.

She needed to see him today. She knew where his apartment was. She could drive over and see him. She could apologize for telling him to go. She could tell him that she wanted him to stay, and that she was sorry their date went so wrong last night, and that if she could do it over again, she would tell him not to be embarrassed about whatever he was embarrassed about and she wouldn't care about whether he was looking for sex or not. They could just be together.

Then again, she couldn't go chasing him. She couldn't run after Jonouchi. She wanted to, but she couldn't. That would show weakness. That would show that she needed him. The minute she let Jonouchi know that she needed him, he could walk all over her. She would be giving him power over her. He would become strong and she would become weak.

Why couldn't he come and find her? Why didn't he rush to her side? She knew really that it was because he couldn't drive, and even if he did, he didn't know where her apartment was. Why couldn't she find him and rush to his side? That was weakness. That was beneath her.

* * *

AN: Oh, the humanity again...plz review! 


	11. Chapter 10

AN: Hello! Happy February everybody! There's this chapter, then there will be one or two more chapters. Enjoy...

**Chapter 10**

Mai walked into work that morning two hours late. She was tired but awake at the same time. She was tired from a lack of sleep, rest, and relaxation, but misery and worry kept her thoughts buzzing dully. Her stomach felt sour, her head ached, and her eyelids were heavy. Her black boots hit the floor with little enthusiasm. Her thoughts always traveled to Jonouchi. She missed him. There was no question about it. She still missed him. But she couldn't go chasing him. It was over, said and done. She guessed she would be going alone to the gala…what did the gala matter? What did the fancy ball, and the dress, and the jewelry, and the hair matter if Jonouchi couldn't see it? She sighed, walking into her office.

And there it was. Mai blinked in confusion, then gasped in excitement. It was a flower arrangement! Could it be from Jonouchi? She leapt towards the vase and tore off the card. She opened it hurriedly. Her stomach was quivering from nerves. Could it be from Jonouchi? Was their relationship saved?...

_Roses are red,  
__Violets are blue,  
__At the Spirit Magazine Gala  
__I shall reveal myself to you.  
__This may seem childish  
__Or it may seem trite.  
__But I am exactly  
__What you need in your life._

_Your Secret Admirer_

_Courtesy of __Nosaka__ Flower Shop_

Mai's heart sank. It wasn't Jonouchi. Who was this secret admirer anyway? He was so romantic…who could it be? The mystery and the admiration flattered her, but she didn't really care for it. She was too stuck on Jonouchi. Oh well, she would find out at the gala anyway, she guessed. She shrugged.

She sat down and reluctantly turned on her computer. She had so much work to do. She hadn't done any work over the weekend, and she'd missed two hours of answering emails and returning phone calls. She looked over to her phone-she had seventeen messages. She looked at her computer-she had forty-two emails. Mai sighed and reached to click the answering machine button on her phone, ready to listen to her messages- but there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," she called softly; her voice was tired and hoarse. Mr. Oshido opened the door and slipped inside quietly, closing the door behind him. He walked slowly the short distance to Mai's desk and sat down in a chair in front of it. He smiled at her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kujaku," he said. She nodded, waiting to hear what he came in for. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned. No she wasn't alright!

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered. What else could she say? "Why do you ask?" Could he know something about her date with Jonouchi?

"I've been calling and emailing you all weekend and you haven't answered, which is most unlike you. Curt you may be when you do answer, but nonetheless, you answer. Most of it was work related, but…I became a little concerned. Also, you've come into work on time today, which is also most unlike you,"

"I'm two hours late!" she protested. He only smiled.

"No, you're on time. Every other day you're two hours early. By contract, you don't have to be here until 10 A.M." he said. Yes, that was true. She'd made such a habit of coming early she'd forgotten that she was usually early. She nodded at him.

"One more thing," she said. Mai looked at him and nodded. "You don't look well this morning, which is _most_ unlike you," he said. Mai smiled. Yes, it was Mr. Oshiro saying this, but after her weekend, a little affection went a long way. Mai sighed.

"My date with Jonouchi went terrible this weekend!" she exclaimed involuntarily. She didn't want to tell anybody, especially Mr. Oshiro, about her problems, but her weekend was like a weight she needed to lift off of her chest. It was looming over her like a cloud about to rain. A friend, a little sunshine was all she wanted now.

Mr. Oshiro looked shocked and apologetic. She didn't know if it was real or not, but it looked real enough for her.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mrs. Kujaku. I'm even sorrier to see that it has bothered you so."

"That's alright, Mr. Oshiro…" she wanted to say more, but she couldn't. She couldn't form the feelings she had into thought.

"I don't want to pry, but…may I ask?..."

Mai told him. She told him about the date: the silence, the tension between them, her apprehension of him, his embarrassment about something she did not know, and the horrible end their long, awaited second date…

Mr. Oshiro stayed silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating her words.

"I see," he said. "It was not unwise to be wary of a sixteen -year-old's intentions. Not to be judgmental, but most teenage boys are simple-minded when it comes to dating beautiful women like you."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Mai said.

"On the contrary, Mrs. Kujaku, it does. It takes a while, but it does," she replied smiling. Mai smiled back genuinely. He was surprisingly pleasant to talk to. She prayed inside that he would not ruin the moment. They stayed silent for a moment, but then Mr. Oshiro glanced at her desk.

"I see you got some flowers. Apology flowers from Jonouchi?" he asked humorously.

"I wish…Apparently, my secret admirer is going to meet me at the gala."

"Oh-ho! How interesting," he picked up the card and read it. She heard him whisper 'I am exactly/ what you need in our life.' He looked at her and smiled.

"How does he know what I need in a man?" Mai asked mockingly.

"What do you need in a man?" he asked. She thought a moment. What did she need?

"I need a man I can trust," she said. It was the first thing that came to mind, out of all else. Mr. Oshiro nodded. His expression was unreadable. She glanced at the clock. They'd been talking for half an hour.

"Did you need anything else, Mr. Oshiro? I have a load of work to do, especially now with the gala this weekend."

"I'm still open to a date, you know, if you would like to go with me…" he said casually, his arms open. Mai smiled.

"I think I'll wait for my 'secret admirer'," she said jokingly, but she really meant it. Mr. Oshiro grinned widely and stood up, heading for the door.

"Meeting in my office at noon. Don't overstrain yourself between now and then, please," he said, and then walked out the door with a confident stride.

:j:m:

Mai looked tiredly out of her office window. Then sun was setting over Domino. Her room was glowing orange. She felt her muscles tiring and her concentration dwindling. She'd been working like a mad-woman all day. She'd been going through countless emails and messages (replying to almost all of them), reading and writing files and articles, and dealing with her employees all day. They all looked at her strangely; a few were brave enough to ask about her apparently disheveled appearance (she didn't answer any of them). She actually managed to catch up- a feat most would deem impossible, judging from all the work she did on a daily basis.

She didn't mind all of the work she had to do today…anything to distract her. But now, as she sat at her desk, resting her head in her arms tiredly on her desk, she had free time to think. She thought of Jonouchi. Her heart ached dully for him, but she was better than that…she closed her eyes, knowing that she shouldn't. She just might fall asleep…There was a knock at the door…

"Unn…" she moaned, unable to speak.

…May I come in?" a voice asked. It sounded familiar…

:j:m:

Jonouchi reached to open the silver doorknob with a shaking hand. He was nervous. He didn't have a vase of flowers for her, which meant he had no excuse to be here. He just needed to come here. He would probably be forced to leave the office the second she saw who it was, but he had to try. He knew inside that it was worth the effort, and that she was worth chasing. If she didn't want him, that would be her decision, but he would never forgive himself if he didn't go in there, apologize, and ask her for a second chance. His desire to have her back was greater than his fear of rejection. He realized that now…

He opened the door slowly and walked in quietly. He saw the blonde sitting in her chair. Her arms were functioning as a pillow for her head on the desk. Her computer was still glowing. Her disk was even more cluttered with papers and books than the last two times he'd seen it. He could see why she must've been tired.

"Mai?" he asked. She jerked, opening her eyes and lifting her head off of her hands. She locked eyes with him. Jonouchi waited.

She stared at him blankly for what felt like an hour. It must've been less than a minute. Her eyes looked sleepy.

She blinked several times. She rubbed her eyes with her hands quickly and looked back at him.

"Jonouchi!" she stated loudly. Her tone was indifferent.

"Mai…I'm sorry," he started. He searched his mind for the words he'd written down on paper earlier. They were the words that he'd rehearsed, and the words that he would be depending on to get her back. "I'm sorry that our date was bad on Saturday. I…want you to now that if you think I'm just dating you for your looks, which is what I think you're thinking, I'm not…I think you're beautiful, don't get me wrong, but…I like you because you smart, and funny, and…" what was that third adjective he'd written down to describe her?… "there's just something about you that I like! I don't know…And…" he searched his mind for the second part of what he'd written. "I was in a bad mood on Saturday because I was mad about everything, and I was thinking about how my small and old my apartment is, and how my dad is…he's an alcoholic…I don't have a lot of money, and…I was thinking that it might get in the way…I don't know, I…I'm sorry…I was wondering whether we could start over."

Jonouchi finished. That hadn't gone nearly as smoothly as he would've preferred, but he'd done all that he could do. He poured all of his feelings out. He would just have to leave it up to her now.

Mai was still looking at him. Her expression was blank. She didn't say anything for a long moment, maybe a whole minute or two. What was she thinking? His stomach was sour, and his limbs were starting to shake with impatience. Mai sighed, still looking at him.

"You shouldn't have come here," she said softly. It sounded as if she was speaking more to herself. She stood up and walked over to him. They were extremely close now. He could smell perfume…it was something spicy. He liked that…

She kissed him on the lips softly. She placed her hand lightly on his side. He could barely kiss back, he was so petrified by it. Suddenly, he was extremely confused.

She pulled away as suddenly as she had leaned towards him. She looked at him sadly. "I was the one who asked you to leave. I was the one who should've asked for you to come back," she said. Jonouchi realized what she meant.

"No…it doesn't matter now. I'm sorry. Can we start over?" he asked pleadingly. Mai smirked slightly.

"You can never start over, Jonouchi. The question is- can we please keep going?" she said craftily. Jonouchi nodded enthusiastically, a little unsure of what she meant. Whatever she said was the truth, at least right now.

Mai kissed him again. Her kiss was short and sweet- nothing lustful. It was gentle.

"Jonouchi?" she asked and he nodded. "Would you like to be my date at the Spirit Magazine Gala this Saturday night?"

The truth was, he had plans. Anzu's birthday party was Saturday night, but forget that! Hell yes he was going! But there was one thing…

"What do I need to wear?"

"What would be a good time between now and Saturday to go shopping for you? I'll pay for you to rent a-"

"No! I'll pay! Just tell me when."

"Jonouchi! I'll pay. Take it as an apology gift."

"You don't need to buy me an apology gift!" he said angrily. What was she thinking? She looked angry herself.

"Yes I do! You don't even know how terrible I feel right now! And I'll keep feeling terrible until I buy you something! Now take it or else you're not going!" Mai shouted. Her breathing was heavy from yelling and being angry. Jonouchi sighed.

"Wednesday I only work until five."

"We'll have two hours then. I'll pick you up…"

"At Nosaka's flowers shop. It's on-"

"Right! Right, I've been there before. Now let me give you a ride home," she said impatiently as she looked around, pushed the off button to her computer, and stomped out the door. He followed obediently, grinning toothily.

* * *

AN: Hooray! I didn't make it too dramatic. Reviews appreciated. 


	12. Chapter 11

AN: The final chapter! Hooray, it feels so ausome to have this story finished. I hope you all like the ending. I'm happy with it. To everybody who reviewed-

Darkrunner, Cartoon fire, Kaibaberry, Player zero, Lalalagirl, Killthebeast, Material Girl, Punkeymonkey, Peach wookie, Crystaline Embers, Journey Maker, Mystical Rose, Lady Guadelupe (number 2??), and Bucket Chan 5

-THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING! As all writers know, reviews are everything. So THANK YOU!

Special thanks to Darkrunner for always giving such thoughtful responses to a lot of my chapters. Thank you Darkrunner! And special thanks to Kaibaberry for leaving the nicest, most motivating reviews. Thank you Kaibaberry, you are so sweet!

Without further ado, here is the final chapter...

**Chapter 11**

Mai studied herself in front of her bathroom mirror. Her stomach churned nervously and excitedly. The gala was tonight. The gala was all that had been going through her mind all week. At the work place it was there, she and Jonouchi were going, and at night, it was all she thought about. Everything in her life right then seemed to revolve around the gala.

Her face looked nervous in her reflection, but the rest of her couldn't have looked more stunning. Her little black and violet dress was sexy and perfect looking. Her shoes gave her extra height. Her long, wavy blonde hair was down as usual. It just looked the best that way. Her black lined eyes and subtle pink lips gave her a sophisticated yet youthful look. She smiled to herself. Even if tonight didn't go perfectly, at least she would look perfect. She wondered what Jonouchi would look like when she drove over to pick him up. Would he actually comb his hair? She blushed. She hoped he would so he would look appropriate for the gala, but if he didn't, she wouldn't care. His messy hair gave him his kind, carefree look that warmed her. She'd rented him a nice fitting, classic, black and white suit. It was far from original, but he looked so good in it. Her whole body warmed upon picturing it. She blushed again, but the nervous feeling in her stomach would not go away.

She wondered what it would be like at the gala with Jonouchi. She would be revealing to the whole world that she was dating a sixteen year old… a handsome, sixteen year old. She was ready. If she could not proudly announce that she was dating Jonouchi, then it was she who was not worthy of dating him, not the other way around, as she had previously thought. She had decided that on Monday, when he'd come to see and apologize to her.

She looked at the clock. It read 6:35 pm. She'd agreed to pick up Jonouchi at 6:45 pm so they could arrive at the gala around 7 pm, when it started. She walked out of the bathroom fully dressed and ready to go. She grabbed her purse and coat and headed for the door.

She pulled into the familiar apartment complex parking lot ten minutes later. She spotted Jonouchi, who had seen her drive in, sitting on the same bench he was sitting on last time she came to pick him up. However, this time he looked happy. She hoped that was a sign that this date would be better than their last one. She parked in a spot near the bench. Jonouchi had already started walking towards her as she opened the door and stepped outside. Her long black cat hid her body and her dress. Jonouchi was on full display. His suit looked exactly like it had on Thursday- form fitting and perfect. Jonouchi's hair looked slightly brushed. It looked like he'd tried to tame it, but failed. Maybe there was no hope for it. Oh well, he still looked so cute. Mai blushed, holding a hand over her mouth as she smiled. Jonouchi was smiling, but he looked slightly nervous. He grabbed her hand, muttered something along the lines of "hello, you look nice", and kissed her on the lips.

"Jonouchi! I have lipstick on!" Mai exclaimed without thinking. She'd said it rather angrily. She hoped Jonouchi wouldn't be angry. She sighed in relief. Jonouchi only laughed and kissed her again. Mai growled and gestured for to get in the car. She didn't want him to kiss her, but she didn't have to the power to resist.

They got out of the car and stepped out into an underground parking garage. The building the gala would be in was upstairs and across the street. It was a huge building called the Domino Civic Center, and it was used for occasions such as this. Mai and Jonouchi walked to the building involved in simple small talk. Mai describe to him who he was going to be meeting tonight and what they would be doing together.

Mai handed two tickets to a man at the big, glass front door and they walked inside.

Mai looked around in awe. The room was big, beautiful and lavishly elaborate. She had never been in the building before. The gala's theme was golden. Golden garlands and banners lined the white walls. Dozens of small circular tables were spread out throughout the room. There was a cluster of long, rectangular tables with boxes on them Men and woman with white aprons and golden t-shirts were huddled around it, fussing with the boxes. That was where the good was, Mai guessed. There were lots of people both standing and sitting at the table all scattered throughout the big room. The room was quickly filling up. The place was noisy and full of voices.

She looked at Jonouchi, who was looking around in amazement also. He had a great smile on his face.

"Let's find our table, Jonouchi," she said loudly, though Jonouchi barely heard her over the noise. She grabbed his hand and headed towards Mr. Oshiro, who she saw standing by a table a distance away. She and Jonouchi were arranged to at the same table as him and a few other important people. Seto Kaiba and his date were two of them, much to Jonouchi's delight.

Jonouchi, without letting go of her hand, rushed ahead of her and greeted his two friends enthusiastically. Kaiba merely smiled as Shizuka returned the gesture. Mai, on the other hand, locked eyes with Mr. Oshiro, who had been standing there idly, talking to no one.

"Hello, Mrs. Kujaku," he said politely and nodded his head. She saw his eyes look down at her left hand, which was on Jonouchi's right, and then he looked quickly up at Jonouchi. He then looked back at Mai. His face was unreadable. It made Mai nervous.

"Hello, Mr. Oshiro," she replied unsurely.

"I see you've brought your date," he stated, looking at Jonouchi. To Mai's discomfort, Jonouchi turned around at that moment, saying goodbye to his sister and greeting Mai again. Jonouchi's smile quickly turned into a grimace. He must've felt awkward, or intimidated by meeting her boss.

"Hi, Mr. Oshiro," Jonouchi attempted a cheerful tone. Mr. Oshiro did not.

"Hello, Mr. Jonouchi," he said emotionless. He feigned a small smile, "Shall we sit down?" he asked courteously, pointing to the two seats next to the one he was standing next to. All three of them sat down with Mai in the middle. Kaiba and Shizuka were seated together across from them. Kaiba looked annoyed as at least a dozen men were huddled around him, asking him questions or simple admiring him. Shizuka looked amused, and was being largely ignored.

Just as they sat down, a few people she recognized sat down at the table. There were three pairs that spread themselves out around the table. The table quickly became filled except for the seat next to Mr. Oshiro. It was the chair where his wife should have been.

"Where's your wife, Mr. Oshiro?" a tanned, dark haired woman turned to him and playfully asked. Mai did not know her, but she recognized her date as Mr. Tokunaga, Mr. Oshiro's executive assistant. As she looked at him, his eyes locked with hers. He smiled at her softly, and she smiled back out of courtesy.

"My wife is at a wedding. It's such a shame the two dates coincided," he said casually, but then he waved his hand towards Mai and looked at her. "I was hoping Mrs. Kujaku would give me the pleasure of being her date, but she decided to go with this young lad instead," he said, waving his hand towards Jonouchi. He'd said the last part of his sentence with palpable annoyance. Everybody's eyes naturally were on the pair. Kaiba and Shizuka looked amused, and Mr. Tokunaga looked bewildered. He stared intently at Jonouchi, and then he stared at Mai curiously. Mr. Oshiro was looking at Mr. Tokunaga, as if he was talking to him. They were very good friends after all. They worked together closely. Mai guessed that Mr. Tokunaga knew that Mr. Oshiro desired her- she would have guessed that almost all her coworkers knew. He never exactly hid the fact. Maybe Mr. Tokunaga understood how awkward she felt. While he was looking at her, she smiled at him nervously. He smiled back softly.

"Apparently," Mr. Oshiro went on, "they've been dating since Valentine's Day. While my wife and I were taking an evening stroll in the Domino City Park, we caught them lying around in the grass," he said. The nameless faces at the table all gave excited, shocked gasps, laughing in the process. Mai blushed in embarrassment. The way he said that implied the worst. How could Mr. Oshiro actually say something so bold? Had he no tact? Or was he trying to embarrass them? Mai frowned visibly. Kaiba and Shizuka's amused looks faded, and Mr. Tokunaga looked bewildered again. He looked at Jonouchi, and then he looked at Mai. He looked at her with sympathetic eyes. She couldn't stand his gaze. His gaze gave her the burning desire to defend herself, and prove herself worthy of his sympathy. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Jonouchi beat her to it.

"We weren't _lying__ around_ in the park!" he said angrily. Mai's stomach went sour. She was worried. She wanted Jonouchi to remember where they were and who he was talking to. He needed to control his temper and his manners, especially someone as relatively unimportant as him. "We were hanging out at the park, but it's not like…you make it sound," he finished coldly. "I would like it if you didn't talk like that about us," he said. Mai was frustrated. She was grateful for what Jonouchi said, but she did not want conflict.

Mr. Oshiro's face turned into one of playful surprise.

"Well! There you have it! The real story," Mr. Oshiro said playfully, as if the matter were of no importance.

"Since this is the first time Mr. Tokunaga and I have formally met Mr. Jonouchi, why don't' you tell us a little bit about him? Occupation? Age?" he said with a smirk. She knew what he was trying to do, and it wasn't going to work. She was over that. Jonouchi may not have been as mannerful or articulate as Mr. Oshiro, but she would be less embarrassed dating him than Mr. Oshiro, who was rude and sly. Didn't he realize that?

"Alright, then. His name," she said, putting her hand on Jonouchi's arm, "is Katsuya Jonouchi. He is sixteen years old, currently a junior at Domino High. He works at the Domino Supermarket and at Nosaka's Flower Shop. We've been dating for about…three weeks now?" she finished. It felt good to say. She looked at Jonouchi, who was beaming at her. She involuntarily smiled back. Kaiba and Shizuka smiled too. Mr. Tokunaga wore the same look of dulled bewilderment. Nonetheless, he smiled gently at the pair. Mr. Oshiro looked a little peeved, which Mai found amusing. The others wore shocked, even condescending, but meaningless expressions. What did they matter? She only gave them a quick glance, and then she looked at Jonouchi. His cheeks were flushed.

A waiter came to the table and told them to go to the buffet table and serve themselves. As they walked over there, Mai realized that she was really hungry. Jonouchi agreed and rubbed his stomach enthusiastically and groaned loudly. He got a strange look from Mr. Tokunaga's date, who was apparently his sister, she learned from Mr. Oshiro. Mai scoffed. She could just go look somewhere else, she thought. Jonouchi's complaining was cute. She thought this as she grabbed his hand.

The food was nice. It was the standard beef, vegetable mix, mashed potatoes, roles, and other side dishes. For dessert, there was cheesecake, which Mai enjoyed. Jonouchi, however, was beyond ecstatic. He was eating multiple servings of everything, and he ate them ravenously. Kaiba looked annoyed at the sight. This made Mai laugh.

The noise of the gala was more calm and subdued now that everybody was eating. The building was full, but not packed. She and Mr. Oshiro agreed the event was going very well, but then he left the table. It was time to meet and greet people. Soon he would be giving a speech to everybody. She had written it.

:j:m:

Jonouchi yawned tiredly as Mai elbowed him, prompting him to wake up. Mr. Oshiro, she knew, was nearing the end of his speech.

"-endure, progress, and prosper in the future. Thank you, everybody for coming," his voice boomed from the raised platform on the side of the building. Finally, Mai thought. That speech was really boring, and she had written it. Whatever, she thought.

"Now, if everybody would stand for a short period of time, the tables will be moved, clearing most of the floor for the dance. Hope you've all got your dance partners," he said, giving a small chuckle.

With that, everybody started to stand at once. Kaiba and Shizuka walked over towards her and Jonouchi. Shizuka, smiling cheerfully, walked up closely to Jonouchi and grabbed his hand.

"We're going to Seto's car to get his camera. Come with us, Katsuya!" she said excitedly. Mai noticed that she was only talking to Jonouchi.

"What about Mai?" he asked confusedly.

"Oh well, Mai, You don't mind right? Ok bye!" she said all at once, quickly linking her arm around Jonouchi and grabbing Seto's hand. She quickly sped towards the door. They were being dragged. Jonouchi turned and gave Mai one last look. Mai just smiled and saved him off. She needed to use the restroom anyway…

:j:m:

"So, Katsuya! How is the date going?!" Shizuka asked Jonouchi once they had exited the gala doors. So this is why she'd pulled him away from Mai: to gossip.

"Um…good, it's been nice…except for that boss of hers, but never mind that…" he mumbled. Shizuka laughed.

"Oh never mind that! He's probably just jealous!" she said and laughed again. She was absolutely right, Jonouchi realized for the first time. That must've been it! He did cheat on his wife, after all, and ever since he'd seen him and Mai in the park, he'd stopped saying hello to him in the supermarket. In fact, he hadn't even seen him in the supermarket since then.

Shizuka continued to bombard him with questions about him and Mai. Since they didn't live together, it'd been a while since they'd talked. Kaiba was silent the whole time.

Upon entering the gala again, they saw that the dance had started. A band in the far corner of the room was playing lively, fast paced jazz music. The room was full of people dancing. Where was Mai?

:j:m:

Mai stood silently by the beverage table, sipping on a red punch. The music had started. She waited there for Jonouchi. Where was he? She didn't want to dance with anybody but him, unless it was one of her girl friends. All of them had their dates though. Oh well, Mai though. Mr. Oshiro had asked her to dance, but she declined. Mr. Oshiro didn't look surprised. He playfully feigned rage, growling and punching the air. Mai found it funny. Mr. Oshiro confused her. One moment he was rude and tactless, and the next he was actually friendly and nice. Mai sighed.

Another fast paced song floated through the air. Where was Jonouchi? A slow song began, and Jonouchi still wasn't there. The building wasn't that big, was it? Mai sighed. She was standing there, looking like a loser. May she should give Mr. Oshiro a dance while she waited for Jonouchi. She figured it would be best to stay in one area, and eventually Jonouchi would look for her there. Why hadn't they planned a meeting spot?

She spotted Mr. Oshiro a ways away. He was dancing with Mr. Tokunaga's date, or his sister. They were both smiling cheerfully, and their lips were moving rapidly. From the right, she saw Mr. Tokunaga walking towards her. She locked eyes with him. His young, brown eyes lit up upon seeing her. He poured himself a small cup of punch, downed it, and threw the cup away.

"You date is with someone else?" he asked. Mai smiled.

"I have no idea where he is. I've lost him," she said casually. Mr. Tokunaga smiled softly.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked and Mai accepted. They walked a ways onto the dance floor and wrapped their arms around each other. A slow song was playing. She felt comfortable around him, although he was somewhat mysterious to her. When she looked at him, he always looked so melancholy and dull. There was a sort of gloom in his presence. His smile was always soft, and he rarely laughed. His voice was one of calm, and never excitement. Even in the workplace when she saw him, which was only once in a while, he was always melancholy. He was so calm. He looked in his prime, but on the inside something might have been draining him of life. As she looked at him, she began to feel sad. When he looked at her, he looked peaceful, almost happy. There was long silence between them. Mai wondered whether he was happy or sad at that moment.

"Mai," he said softly. The song was nearing its end. She looked up at him in response, "I am the one…who admires you," he said, not taking his eyes off of her. Mai thoughts came to a halt. Mr. Tokunaga…admiring her?...the secret admirer! She'd forgotten all about that with the excitement of Jonouchi going to the gala. Mr. Tokunaga? Her secret admirer?

"Mai?" there was a voice calling her name from behind, but never mind that. She couldn't believe it. Mr. Tokunaga? She had always been fond of him, but she had never taken much notice of him before. In his eyes, she saw the same melancholy. There was something so loving and kind, yet so sad about him. She didn't want to hurt him…

"Mai?" the voice from behind called again, but never mind that.

"Mr. Tokunaga," she whispered, looking for the words to say. His grip tightened around her as she was jerked forward. His hand was behind her head and his lips were pressed against hers. They were kissing…no, this was not what she wanted! She didn't want to hurt him, but she couldn't let him do this- he lessened his grip and his lips left hers. As soon as he kissed her, he had stopped. She took a step back from him. What had she just done? She was so in shock she didn't even fully register what was happening. It was all happening so fast…

"Mr. Tokunaga!" she gasped.

"MAI!" an angry voice exclaimed.

"Mai!" another voice exclaimed, sounding shocked.

Mai looked to her left, and there was Jonouchi. His mouth was hanging open and his expression was angry. He was looking at her, which she couldn't stand. What could she say? This looked bad. It wasn't what she meant at all. She looked to her right, and there was Mr. Oshiro. He looked angry, but not as angry as Jonouchi. She'd just lost her boyfriend and her job, Mai thought worriedly. Mr. Tokunaga's eyes were the worst of all. He looked hopeful. She had to break his heart…No…she had to get out of here…

"Mr. Tokunaga! No…I'm sorry, I really am, but no…" she whispered. The room was silent. There was no song playing at that moment. She turned around and headed towards the silent corridor where the restrooms were.

What was going on? Mr. Tokunaga? Her secret admirer? And Mr. Oshiro… not her secret admirer? She'd always half guessed it was him…and Jonouchi! Oh no! She had to go back and find him. But he'd seen her and Mr. Tokunaga kiss. She didn't even resist. It must've looked so real…what had she done?

She reached the door to the quiet hallway and opened it hastily. She didn't bother to close it. The narrow, rectangular hallway was silent except for the noise from the gala. Nobody was in there. She stopped walking and leaned against a wall. At that moment, she heard footsteps enter the hallway and shut the door. She looked out of curiosity. Her stomach turned sour when she saw Jonouchi quickly speeding towards her. Her throat tightened. How was she going to get herself out of this? He reached her, looking flushed and angry. His breath was quick.

"Mai! What's the matter with you? What's going on? You're kissing other men and now you're running away from me?! Did I miss something here?" he didn't yell, but he spoke angrily and loudly.

"No! Jonouchi…please believe me. Mr. Tokunaga…he said he was my secret admirer…and then he kissed me…I don't like him…but I was so shocked and confused…and I was looking for the right way to turn him down…please believe me! I don't like him! I like you! I want to be with you! Please believe it, Jonouchi!" she said all at once. She was panicking. How was he supposed to believe her? He'd seen him kiss her, and she didn't even resist.

"I swear, when he kissed me, I didn't do anything because I was in shock, not because I like him!" she said still panicking. She could fell her heartbeat pounding in her chest. Her hands were trembling and she couldn't keep her right foot from tapping. She looked at Jonouchi, who was looking at her. His expression was one of annoyance.

"Of course I believe you! That's why I followed you," he said as if her were irritated. Mai was more confused than ever. He already knew? How?

"I…I don't understand," she said. He looked at her strangely. His lips were pursed, but his body language was more relaxed.

"I decided last time we saw each other…that I would trust you. I decided that I would trust that you could like me even though I'm young, and even though I'm poor," he said and paused. "I trust you, Mai. Whatever you say, I'll believe you," He took a step closer to her. He grabbed her hand. His words washed over her. They calmed her. She forgot about the gala, and Mr. Oshiro, and Mr. Tokunaga.

"I trust you, Mai. Do you trust me?" it took Mai a moment to realize that she was being asked a question. Did she trust him? She wasn't sure. Whatever he told her, would she be willing to believe it? Even if she doubted him? Could she trust him with her heart? Her feeling? Her secrets? Even her body, in time? If he could trust her, and give her a chance to see him for who he really was, then she could give him the chance too. She would trust him.

"Yes, Jonouchi. I trust you," she said confidently. She partly trusted him because he'd never given her any reason not to, and partly because he trusted her. She smiled at him. She did trust him. She would trust him wholeheartedly. However…

"If you ever break my trust," Mai continued, "you're gonna get it," she fished. Jonouchi smiled and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Same goes to you," he said. She kissed him on the lips. Jonouchi, whose hand was still in hers, pulled her out of the corridor and back into the gala. The music was playing again. It was a slow and sweet song.

They walked out onto the dance floor and wrapped their arms around each other tightly. She self a cool breeze on her side form again, but she never felt warmer. Mai kissed him on the lips as they stepped sideways to the beat. Mai couldn't remember feeling happier in her entire life. She smiled widely as she left his lips and rested her head over his shoulder.

She saw Shizuka and Seto dancing together a close distance away. Mai felt so elated, she waved goofily towards them, smiling wide. She couldn't even believe how weird she was acting, she just felt so happy. How could she how this to Jonouchi? How could she ever thank him? As Shizuka wave back to Mai and smiled, she did the only think she could think of. It was so simple.

She leaned back, gripped him tightly, and kissed him hard on the lips. It felt silly and overdramatic as she did it, but she didn't care. She didn't seem to have any control over herself anymore. When they parted, she and Jonouchi smiled at each other.

They sow song ended. A fast beat song played again. Shizuka and Seto came over to Mai and Jonouchi. She playfully snapped a picture of the two. As a group, the four of them danced happily together- yes, Kaiba could dance. That night, they had the time of their lives.

* * *

AN: There you have it! It was the best I could do. I hope you all liked it. Tell me if you guys want an epilogue, or like...a six months later sort of thing. Reviews appreciated:D 


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